Hartzell Engine Tech Unveils Starters for Experimental Aircraft

Hartzell Engine Technologies announced Monday a new line of lightweight engine starters designed for 12-volt electrical systems on homebuilt aircraft. 

The news is part of an expansion for Sky-Tec, an industry-leading aircraft starter manufacturer that operates under the umbrella of the Hartzell Engine Tech family of brands. Sky-Tec manufactures and supports starter designs for prominent aviation companies such as Prestolite, Electrosystems, and Lamar Technologies.

The new line of starters, dubbed the Sky-Tec XP Series, is expected to retail for less than $1,000 and will be ready for distribution by the end of the first quarter of 2026.

“These new Sky-Tec XP starters make flying more affordable and accessible for the experimental market while maintaining the same engineering excellence that pilots have come to expect from Hartzell Engine Tech,” Marolous Cebulka, vice president of sales at Hartzell Engine Tech, said in a news release. “They’re a fit for any Lycoming-powered homebuilt kit, combining reliability, lightweight performance, and affordability.”

The new starters will not carry an FAA 8130 tag, which verifies certification of airworthiness by the agency, but are brand-new production parts manufactured in the same facility that produces the rest of Sky-Tec’s certified products. The XP Series is designed to be a high-value solution for experimental owners looking for reliability but hoping to not break the bank. 

Typically offering starters for several legacy aircraft engines, the move expands Sky-Tec and Hartzell’s potential further into the experimental market, giving them the ability to support general and business aviation, as well as the kitbuilding community.

Hartzell Engine Tech’s portfolio of brands maintain an expansive reach into many different sectors of the aircraft engine accessory market. Consisting of PowerUp Ignition Systems, Janitrol, Plane-Power, Sky-Tec, and AeroForce Turbocharger Systems, each brand has a particular area of expertise, including turbochargers, starters, alternators, heaters, and fuel pumps.