Quote:
Originally Posted by BYprodriver
So why is it that aircraft engines have 2 Magnetos?  |
Redundancy.
While very reliable, mags do fail. With two, a failed mag means a slight elevation in exhaust gas temp and an almost imperceptible drop in power. If you only had one, you'd be a glider. That's no bueno...especially over water...or at night...or at night over water!
Plus a 360ci 4 banger really benefits From twin plugs on each cyl.
There are some new solid state ignition systems on the market for aircraft, but the cost is so great (~$4000 to run 1 of the plugs on each cyl) because of the expense of certification, that the benefits don't out weigh the cost; especially with a simple, flat, air cooled engine with fixed ignition timing.