Definition
Electric motors used to rotate an aircraft engine's crankshaft fast enough to begin the combustion process. The starter draws power from the aircraft battery (or external power source) and engages the engine through a gear or clutch mechanism. Once the engine starts running on its own, the starter disengages and is no longer needed.
Plain English
The small motor that spins the engine to get it running. You activate it briefly when starting the aircraft, and once the engine catches and runs by itself, the starter stops.
Context Anchor
Seen during preflight and engine-start procedures, especially when using the ignition key, starter switch, or start button before taxi.
Derivation
Starter derives from the verb to start, meaning to set something in motion; the aviation term refers to the auxiliary device that begins engine rotation before the engine sustains itself.
Why Pilots Care
Correct starter use ensures reliable ignition while preventing overheating, mechanical stress, or damage to the engine and starter itself.
Analogy
Like a car's starter motor that turns the engine over until the fuel ignites and the engine keeps running on its own.
Intuition Check
Do not think of an engine starter as the thing that powers the flight. It only turns the engine at the beginning; once the engine starts, the engine runs on fuel and air, not on the starter.
Example Sentence 1
After priming the engine, the pilot engaged the starter and the propeller began to turn.
Example Sentence 2
Turbine aircraft require strict time limits on engine starters to avoid overheating the starter motor.