Tim,
It is electric starter mounted to the mast instead of the head. It is good enough to get the Dragon Wings up to beginning taxi speed. I am using a light battery so taxi a short space with prerotor engaged. I was running out of time to get in the air so I went the quickest , easiest, and cheapest route for prerotor. It does not get much easier that hanging a starter and running a few cables. I had plans to come off the front of the Rotax engine with a 90 degree drive, but several people voiced concerns about the bearing loading. so I put that Ideal on the shelf for now. I think a belt drive rather than the friction wheel will give you less slippage , thus more RPM. I am working on that still. Put the electric on and get flying, make improvements in winter when you can't fly. If I did all I wanted to do to the KB4 it would still be in the shop. If you want the perfect gyro, you need two. One to fly and one to always be improving. I will take some pictures of my setup and post in the old Dropped keel thread so we can keep the information together.
Ron A. built a no nonsense machine in great time and he is flying. I am sure he will tell you he has had better machines and he will in all probability build something with more of the features he likes , but he is flying and now has the leisure to do what ever he likes to his other gyros.
Looking forward to your first flight report.