AirVenture 2024: Lightning Series Magneto announcement by Champion Aerospace

At AirVenture 2024, Champion Aerospace announced the Lightning Series Magento for Continental and Lycoming, 4 and 6 cylinder engines. Sy Pinkert and AVweb sat down with Thomas Justice and Alan Woods for a look.

[@ScottsSynthStuff]

OK, we get it, they're excited about it, as they mentioned over and over again. How about some actual information about it? Does it have variable timing? Points? Is it entirely electronic?

[@bwalker4194]

Two years!?! It’s already 20 years behind tech and 20 years worth of lawsuits from certification. My N36LV had one mag for redundancy and a Lightspeed unit for everyday use. 370HP IO550, 200KT cruise at 14 gph, seating for five fifteen years ago.

[@apexclip3458]

It’s sad and pathetic. Elec spark ignition has been around since the 70’s in race cars. Hell even dirt bikes, including some 2 strokes now have EFI and elec ignition. The FAA is run by dinosaur old guys that resist change at every corner.

[@NosajDEroom]

Sounds very good.... Already have one electronic ignition - this would do the other side...

[@ericsd55]

I really only learned that they have a drop in ignition solution, but it's not near certification, and I don't need to run power to it. Oh, and it certainly ain't as purdy as the Surfly. It has be come abundantly clear, the FAA needs to improve their PMA cert process.

[@stanleysiewert5885]

Rule of thumb for FAA certification projects, double the estimate, then go up one unit. 2 years x2 = 4 years, so in 4 decades, we will be all good.

[@bertschb]

Very cool! I wonder if they will release a version to the experimental market earlier.

[@williambeatty7781]

That sounds great to get an electronic ignition without needing batter power to function. I wish they would have mentioned cost !

[@karllautman]

The only advantage they mention over a standard mag is no 500 hour inspection. Depending on the price, that might be worth it, but other electronic mags offer significant advantages (albeit with additional installation issues).

[@wolfkin73]

No. They said it was self sustaining. Surefly requires ship power. So at least one improvement over that emag. As for what it is allowed to do we have to wait for the FAA to decide

[@FlyingNDriving]

This will deliver a better spark at starting RPM, should reduce troublesome hot starts

[@rayeaker1207]

Sounds a lot like Emagair's P-Mag, self sustaining at about 800 RPM with an internal alternator and it has variable timing. This product might get some use as the second ignition option, at most, in experimentals.

[@pilotistbreit]

Very nice. Just what about the Bendix Dual Mag Replacement? ;-)

[@sergeylipovetsky2216]

Yea, what about the dreaded clips, you still need them? And what about double magneto for Lycoming IO-540 made by Bendix, now owned by Continental? Any chance?

[@stlflyguy]

And I’m guessing those of us with Bendix mags will (still) have to get a Slick harness.

[@Airplanefish]

And if the left magneto is hooked into a Sure Start, will this still work for the right magneto without a wiring change?

[@PDZ1122]

They didn't mention one advantage over a regular magneto except it starts working at lower RPM. Until you mention variable timing, that isn't much to get excited about.

[@wolfkin73]

Well not having to rewire, add batteries or backup alternators and new ignition switches sounds like a plus. What I didn’t like was slick saying at TBO just buy a new one.

[@nopenotme6369]

All these promises with out a PMA yet, 🤨.

[@johngjacobi]

2026 🥱

[@BarryHull]

I was REALLY excited about this electronic mag... until I heard 2026. 😞

[@xenadu02]

Sounds like a self-contained alternator and ignition coil?

[@wolfkin73]

I would have said magneto with solid state points. Like every mower since 1990. Add variable timing and they may have a winner. But please offer rebuild at TBO instead of having to buy new, again.

[@xenadu02]

Well they say it's electronic without internal plastic parts. To run solid state distribution logic you need power. Maybe they can steal enough from the primary to do it but it would be more reliable to use an AC Wild system where you don't excite the coils, you just use a permanent magnet and accept the voltage fluctuations. No regulator circuit to burn out. Anyway I'm not an EE so who knows I may be off base. It will be interesting to see more details.

[@dermick]

Considering it came from Champion, I guess it does not work with auto plugs? Hope I'm wrong...

[@JustaPilot1]

As mentioned below, how about variable timing. No variable timing, I'll go with the other guys.

[@hud86]

So it has variable timing?

[@ericsd55]

I'll guess not.

[@utah20gflyer76]

Based on what they are saying it does because it can do starting without an impulse coupling. So it’s retarding the timing for starts. That doesn’t mean it will advance timing past normal at higher rpm’s though.

[@stevepierce]

With all the issues with your mags you are feeling the sales drop from the competition, SureFly. Big company is always behind the times, lack innovation, just raise the price.

[@whoanelly737-8]

Two years…

[@NosajDEroom]

Timing advance?

[@danblumel]

I very doubt it

[@apexclip3458]

What a joke. Meanwhile my modern 2 stroke dirt bike has EFI and electric ignition with selectable power curves.

[@loddude5706]

Serviceable? - or 'heavily sealed magneto to dead junk' in one diode? Useful out in the bush . . .

[@chippyjohn1]

Why make parts for obsolete engines, just change to a modern engine.

[@rayeaker1207]

Good luck with that.

[@turninmonyin2noise978]

You can expect to take out a second mortgage to get them when they come out in a few years. Like every thing else in Aviation, you can bet it will be way overpriced because the tort lawyers want more beachfront property at the expense of America.