Abstract: A starting system is provided for a turbine engine of the type having a housing, a turbine shaft, and turbine blades mounted to the turbine shaft. The starting system comprises a housing defining an auxiliary combustion chamber and having a source of combustible fuel and oxidizer connected to the chamber. An ignitor, preferably powered by a magneto rotatably driven by flowing oxygen or fuel, ignites the fuel mixture in the combustion chamber. A fluid passage is connected at one end to the combustion chamber and is open at its other end to the turbine blades on the turbine shaft so that hot exhaust gases expand from the auxiliary combustion chamber, through the fluid passage and impinge upon the turbine blades to rotatably drive the turbine shaft. When the rotational speed of the turbine shaft achieves a predetermined amount, the main combustion chamber of the turbine engine is ignited in the conventional fashion.