{"id":27871063,"date":"2026-10-13T10:47:46","date_gmt":"2026-10-13T08:47:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/restarting-jet-engine-in-flight-windmill-start-relight-core-lock\/"},"modified":"2026-10-13T10:48:15","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T08:48:15","slug":"restarting-jet-engine-in-flight-windmill-start-relight-core-lock","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/restarting-jet-engine-in-flight-windmill-start-relight-core-lock\/","title":{"rendered":"Restarting a Jet Engine in Flight: Windmill Starts and Core Lock"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.et_pb_title_container h1.entry-title { padding-top: 40px !important; }<\/style>\r\n<!-- mfsh:top -->\r\n\r\n<style>\r\n.mfsh-trigger{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:10px;height:44px;padding:0 18px;margin:0 0 26px;border:2px solid 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Either outcome is possible, because a jet engine that stops in flight can often be started again.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Whether it should be is a different question. Restarting an engine in the air is one of the procedures airline pilots train for and hope never to use. Sometimes it saves the day. Sometimes the right answer is to leave a damaged engine well alone. And in rare cases the engine physically cannot be restarted at all.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Tomorrow is the anniversary of an accident that showed exactly that. Here is how in-flight restarts work.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"background:#f5f6f8;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:18px 22px;margin:26px 0\">\r\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 10px;font-weight:700;color:#0d1117;font-size:17px\">Quick Facts: Restarting a Jet Engine in Flight<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"margin:3px 0;font-size:15px\"><strong>Flameout:<\/strong> The combustion flame goes out and the engine runs down<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"margin:3px 0;font-size:15px\"><strong>Windmill start:<\/strong> Airflow from forward speed spins the engine fast enough to relight<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"margin:3px 0;font-size:15px\"><strong>Assisted start:<\/strong> The starter turns the engine using bleed air from another engine or the APU<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"margin:3px 0;font-size:15px\"><strong>Relight envelope:<\/strong> The altitude and airspeed range in which a restart is approved<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"margin:3px 0;font-size:15px\"><strong>Example (A320):<\/strong> Relight approved up to 30,000 ft; windmill starts above 260 kt (per Wikipedia)<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"margin:3px 0;font-size:15px\"><strong>Do not restart if:<\/strong> Fire, severe damage, out-of-limits vibration, oil loss, or no rotation<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"margin:3px 0;font-size:15px\"><strong>Danger:<\/strong> Core lock: a hot engine that stops can seize and refuse to turn<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Why Engines Stop<\/h2>\r\n<p>A jet engine keeps running because fuel burns continuously in its combustor. If that flame goes out, the engine flames out and runs down. Causes include fuel starvation, ingesting volcanic ash, heavy rain or hail, birds, compressor stalls, mechanical failure and flying beyond the engine's limits at very high altitude.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Modern engines with digital controls are much better at avoiding flameouts than early jets, and many can switch on their igniters automatically to relight instantly if the flame wavers. When an engine is shut down deliberately because of a fault, though, getting it going again is a decision for the crew.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px;width:100%\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/10\/pinnacle-airlines-crj-200-northwest-airlink.jpg\" alt=\"Pinnacle Airlines Bombardier CRJ-200 in Northwest Airlink colours\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;max-width:100%;display:block\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">A Pinnacle Airlines CRJ-200 in Northwest Airlink colours, the type involved in Flight 3701 in 2004. Photo: Andr\u00e9 Du-pont \/ Mexico Air Spotters, Wikimedia Commons, GFDL<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Windmill or Starter<\/h2>\r\n<p>There are two ways to restart. In a windmill start, the aircraft's forward speed forces air through the engine and spins it fast enough for the igniters and fuel to relight it. That needs plenty of speed. SKYbrary notes that windmill starts typically require at least 250 to 300 knots, which may mean diving to build speed.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>In an assisted start, the engine's starter does the work, driven by compressed bleed air from a running engine or from the auxiliary power unit, the small turbine in the tail. Assisted starts work at lower speeds, which is why the APU becomes so important if every engine has stopped.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Every aircraft type has a relight envelope, a chart of the altitudes and airspeeds where a restart is approved. Wikipedia gives the Airbus A320 as an example: certified to fly above 39,000 feet, but approved for relights only up to 30,000 feet, with windmill starts above 260 knots and starter-assisted starts below that. Above the envelope, the air is too thin for a reliable relight, so a crew must first descend.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"background:#f8f9fa;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:20px 22px;margin:18px 0 24px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.7;display:flex;gap:20px;align-items:flex-start\"><div><em>&ldquo;Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We have a small problem. All four engines have stopped.&rdquo;<\/em><div style=\"margin-top:10px;font-size:14px;color:#555\"><strong>Captain Eric Moody<\/strong> &mdash; British Airways Flight 9, cabin announcement over Indonesia, 24 June 1982<\/div><\/div><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">When It Works: British Airways Flight 9<\/h2>\r\n<p>On 24 June 1982, a British Airways Boeing 747 flying at 37,000 feet south-east of Jakarta flew into a cloud of ash from the erupting Mount Galunggung. One after another, all four engines flamed out. The crew calculated they could glide for about 23 minutes.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>They kept trying to restart. At about 13,500 feet, with the crew preparing to ditch, engine number four relit, then the others. The 747 landed safely in Jakarta. The ash had damaged the engines, but repeated restart attempts as the aircraft descended into denser air eventually worked. SKYbrary notes this is one of the cases where a restart is worth trying even if damage is suspected.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px;width:100%\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/10\/mount-galunggung-eruption-1982-indonesia.jpg\" alt=\"Mount Galunggung erupting in Indonesia in 1982\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;max-width:100%;display:block\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">Mount Galunggung in Java erupting in 1982. Its ash cloud stopped all four engines of British Airways Flight 9. Photo: R. Hadian, U.S. Geological Survey \/ Wikimedia Commons, Public domain<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;margin:24px 0 8px\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/oRM8KtuCrtQ\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div><p style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin:6px 0 24px;font-style:italic\">Mayday: Air Disaster on British Airways Flight 9, the 747 that lost all four engines to volcanic ash.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">When It Doesn't: Core Lock<\/h2>\r\n<p>On 14 October 2004, the crew of Pinnacle Airlines Flight 3701, an empty CRJ-200 repositioning from Little Rock to Minneapolis, climbed to 41,000 feet, the aircraft's maximum certified altitude. The NTSB later concluded the climb was made for fun rather than for any operational reason. The captain told air traffic control as much.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"background:#f8f9fa;border-left:4px solid #d32f2f;padding:20px 22px;margin:18px 0 24px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.7;display:flex;gap:20px;align-items:flex-start\"><div><em>&ldquo;We don't we don't have any passengers on board so we decided to have a little fun and come on up here.&rdquo;<\/em><div style=\"margin-top:10px;font-size:14px;color:#555\"><strong>Captain Jesse Rhodes<\/strong> &mdash; Pinnacle Airlines Flight 3701, to air traffic control, 14 October 2004 (NTSB transcript)<\/div><\/div><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>At that height the jet's speed decayed, it stalled, and both engines flamed out. The crew recovered from the upset but let the engines spin down too far. Hot engines that stop turning quickly after running at high power can suffer core lock: parts contract at different rates, a seal binds against the rotating core, and the engine will not turn. Four attempts to restart using the APU failed. The checklist called for at least 240 knots to keep the cores turning, a speed the crew never reached.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The CRJ glided towards Jefferson City, Missouri, and crashed short of the airport. Both pilots were killed. The NTSB blamed their unprofessional conduct and poor airmanship, and cited core lock, together with manuals that did not explain why the minimum airspeed mattered, as contributing factors.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">When Not to Restart<\/h2>\r\n<p>Restarting is not always the right move. If an engine has failed because of a fire, an obvious mechanical breakdown, oil loss or severe vibration, crews secure it and leave it off. SKYbrary describes a simple memory aid, V-O-R: vibration out of limits, oil quantity lost, or no rotation of the engine, and a restart is not advisable.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>On a twin-engine airliner that has shut an engine down over an ocean, the crew's priority is to fly the aircraft, follow the checklist and reach the nearest suitable airport. That is why twins crossing oceans fly under ETOPS rules that keep a diversion airport within reach on one engine. A successful restart is a bonus, not a requirement.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>It all comes back to the oldest rule in the cockpit, which SKYbrary repeats in its guidance on restarts: aviate, navigate, communicate. Fly the aircraft first. The engine can wait.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;margin:24px 0 8px\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DCMmCekKO_c\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div><p style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin:6px 0 24px;font-style:italic\">Mentour Pilot's analysis of Pinnacle Airlines Flight 3701.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;margin:24px 0 8px\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/WFChgSJ_qB0\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div><p style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin:6px 0 24px;font-style:italic\">Green Dot Aviation on the night all four engines of a 747 failed over the ocean.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><em>Sources: SKYbrary, Engine Restart in Flight: Guidance for Flight Crews; Wikipedia (Flameout; British Airways Flight 9; Pinnacle Airlines Flight 3701); NTSB report AAR-07-01.<\/em><\/p>\r\n<!-- mfsh:bottom -->\r\n\r\n<button type=\"button\" class=\"mfsh-trigger mfsh-bottom\" data-mfsh-placement=\"bottom\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><svg><use href=\"#mfsh-i-share\"\/><\/svg>Share this story<\/button>\r\n\r\n<!-- \/mfsh:bottom -->\r\n\r\n\r\n<style>.mfq{margin:34px 0 8px}.mfq h2{font:26px\/1.3 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117;padding-top:22px;margin:0 0 6px}.mfq .qa details{border-top:1px solid #5C91FF;margin:0;padding:0}.mfq .qa details:last-of-type{border-bottom:1px solid #e2e7ee}.mfq .qa summary{cursor:pointer;list-style:none;display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center;gap:16px;padding:22px 26px;font:18px\/1.7 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117}.mfq .qa summary::-webkit-details-marker{display:none}.mfq .qa summary::after{content:\"+\";font:24px Helvetica,sans-serif;color:#3568e0;flex:0 0 auto}.mfq .qa details[open] summary::after{content:\"\\2013\"}.mfq .qa details:hover summary{color:#3568e0}.mfq .qa .a{font:16px\/1.7 \"Gilroy regular\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#454e5e;padding:0 26px 24px}.mfq .qa .a a{color:#3568e0}@media(max-width:680px){.mfq .qa summary{padding:18px 14px;font-size:17px}.mfq .qa .a{padding:0 14px 20px}}<\/style>\r\n\r\n\r\n<section class=\"mfq\"><h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2><div class=\"qa\"><details open><summary>Can a jet engine be restarted in flight?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">Yes. A jet engine that flames out can usually be restarted in the air if the aircraft is within its relight envelope of approved altitudes and airspeeds. Pilots use either a windmill start, relying on airflow, or a starter-assisted start using bleed air from another engine or the APU.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>What is a windmill start?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">A windmill start uses the aircraft's forward speed to force air through a stopped jet engine and spin it fast enough to relight. It typically needs high airspeed, often 250 knots or more, so pilots may have to descend or dive to build speed.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>What is a relight envelope?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">A relight envelope is the range of altitudes and airspeeds within which an engine restart is approved for an aircraft type. For example, the Airbus A320 is approved for in-flight relights only up to 30,000 feet, even though it can cruise higher.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>What is core lock in a jet engine?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">Core lock is when a jet engine's core seizes after a flameout at high power and altitude, because parts cool and contract at different rates and a seal binds against the rotating core. A locked engine cannot be restarted, which contributed to the Pinnacle Airlines Flight 3701 crash in 2004.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>When should pilots not restart a failed engine?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">Pilots should not restart an engine that has failed because of a fire, obvious mechanical damage, oil loss or out-of-limits vibration, or if it shows no rotation. In those cases the engine is secured and the aircraft is flown to the nearest suitable airport.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>How did British Airways Flight 9 restart its engines?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">On 24 June 1982 British Airways Flight 9, a Boeing 747, lost all four engines after flying into volcanic ash at 37,000 feet. The crew kept attempting restarts as they glided down, and engine four relit at about 13,500 feet, followed by the others. The aircraft landed safely in Jakarta.<\/div><\/details><\/div><\/section>\r\n\r\n\r\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Can a jet engine be restarted in flight?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Yes. A jet engine that flames out can usually be restarted in the air if the aircraft is within its relight envelope of approved altitudes and airspeeds. 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The aircraft landed safely in Jakarta.\"}}]}<\/script><div style=\"background:#f0f4ff;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:16px 20px;margin:32px 0 8px\"><p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-weight:600;color:#333\">Related Posts<\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/united-ua946-767-engine-shutdown-st-johns-diversion-2026\/\">United 767 Engine Shutdown: UA946 Diverts to St. John's<\/a><\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/etops-explained-engines-turn-or-passengers-swim\/\">Engines Turn or Passengers Swim<\/a><\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/engine-out-best-glide-or-minimum-sink\/\">Engine Out: Best Glide or Minimum Sink?<\/a><\/p><\/div>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Share this story When United Airlines flight UA946 had an engine problem over the North Atlantic last weekend, early reports could not agree on whether the engine was shut down for the rest of the flight or restarted on the way to Newfoundland. Either outcome is possible, because a jet engine that stops in flight [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":27,"featured_media":27870919,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[665],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27871063","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-aviation-world"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Restarting a Jet Engine in Flight: Relight and Core Lock | MiGFlug<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"How pilots restart a jet engine in flight with windmill and starter-assisted relights, why core lock can stop them, and when not to try.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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