Definition
An aircraft engine starter that uses an electric motor connected through a reduction gear and clutch to turn the engine crankshaft directly until the engine starts. When the starter switch is engaged, battery or external power drives the motor, which spins the crankshaft at sufficient speed for ignition to occur. Once the engine fires and runs under its own power, the starter is disengaged.
Plain English
A type of starter that uses an electric motor to turn the engine over directly until it starts running on its own.
Context Anchor
Seen in aircraft engine systems, starting-system descriptions, and maintenance discussions for piston-engine aircraft.
Derivation
Direct-cranking means the motor turns the crankshaft straight away, with no intermediate energy-storage step. This contrasts with older inertia starters, which first spun up a heavy flywheel and then released its stored energy into the engine. Knowing this contrast helps explain why "direct" appears in the name.
Why Pilots Care
This is the type of starter installed in nearly all modern piston aircraft. Understanding it helps the pilot recognise normal cranking behaviour, identify a weak battery (slow cranking), and avoid overheating the starter by holding it engaged too long.
Analogy
It is like using a drill to turn a bolt immediately, rather than winding up a spring and letting the spring do the turning.
Intuition Check
Direct does not mean the starter is simply connected straight to the battery with no controls. Here, it means the electric motor turns the engine directly rather than using stored flywheel energy first.
Example Sentence 1
The aircraft uses a direct-cranking electric starter, so engaging the starter switch immediately begins turning the engine.
Example Sentence 2
Mechanics prefer the direct-cranking electric starter on smaller engines because it has fewer moving parts than a geared unit.