Jump Starting Enormous US B-52 One by One Before Smoky Take-off

YouTube / Fluctus

B-52 Cart-Starts

To nobody’s surprise, starting up a B-52 can be quite time-consuming. In emergency situations, it’s vital to have your best aircraft airborne as soon as possible. 

In order to achieve this with the B-52, its engines need to be manually started up by either using small controlled explosives or a “Start Cart.”

As seen in the video, the compressed air is fed into the engine, causing it to spin with sufficient rpm for starting.

However, these types of engine startups might soon be phased out thanks to the Commercial Engine Replacement Program. Along with a newer engine, the B-52 will also get a Honeywell 36-150 APU with an on-wing Auxilliary Starter Air Unit or ASAU.

The new unit provides high-pressure air to start the main jet engines, enhancing its mission readiness and operation flexibility.