Push Button Ignition

[Steve Hughes]

Our club will be sending our plane in for some avionics upgrades and one of our annoyances is that the key is so close to the side wall, that it is very difficult to turn to start the engine.  One of our instructors suggested adding a push button ignition instead.  Has anyone done this?  We don't have room for the ElectroAir model on Aircraft spruce, so it would need to be a round 3/4" button.

[outermarker]

The issue with a push to start, is that you won't hear the SOS before starter engagement.

[Ragsf15e]

And if you’re doing push button, are you also doing mag switches?  They seem nice but possibly easier to leave on (hot prop!)

[McMooney]

I'm doing the electroaire switch at annual.  As for space, i seem to remembwer someone on MS removing the switches from the electroaire assemblyl and installing them directly into the planes panel.  honestly my guess, you might be able to just have your IA source and install standard switches

[kerry]

I have 2 experimental planes with push buttons, and I do like it better than the key start in my Mooney but it's not much more of an inconvenience to change it.

[LANCECASPER]

On 9/26/2025 at 8:22 PM, McMooney said:

I'm doing the electroaire switch at annual.  As for space, i seem to remembwer someone on MS removing the switches from the electroaire assemblyl and installing them directly into the planes panel.  honestly my guess, you might be able to just have your IA source and install standard switches

I did that on a Bravo I used to own. The Electroair switch is actually three separate switches, so there's some flexibility in where you put them.

[Vance Harral]

On 9/26/2025 at 4:01 PM, outermarker said:

The issue with a push to start, is that you won't hear the SOS before starter engagement.

Lots of 70s-era M20 models are wired like this anyway.  The "feature" of the SOS engaging on key twist before push is not universal, only some vintage Mooneys work this way.

[Pinecone]

Take a close look at the ElectroAire switch setup before committing.  I was going to put it in my plane and the switches feel cheap and cheesy.

I went with locking toggle switches for the mag and a spring loaded toggle for the starter.  My avionics shop told me that they had not had great long term luck with the push button switches when used this way.

As for hot mags, make up a sign that says Mags Off.  When you take it in hand to place it visible, you double check that they are off.

 

[Fritz1]

like the big toggle mag switches, had an electroair installed once upon a time, with those small black mag switches it is hard to tell if they are on or off, I stayed with the key switch because I would have left the mag switches on one day for sure, key in hand or on glareshield = mag off

[Rick Junkin]

I used the Electroaire ignition panel, and put white "OFF" labels on the top of the mag switches that are only visible when the switch is off (you push the top of the rocker switch in to turn it on). The switches DO feel cheap and cheesy, definitely not a mil-spec feel, but I like them and so far they work fine.