function events_only_in_home_loop( $query ) {

 if ( is_home() && $query->is_main_query() ) // make sure to only run on home page
//attempted resolution from http://www.billerickson.net/customize-the-wordpress-query/
/*
    $meta_query = array(
        array(
            'key' => 'start',
            'value' => time(),
            'compare' => '>'
         )
    );
    $query->set( 'meta_query', $meta_query );
    $query->set( 'orderby', 'meta_value_num' );
    $query->set( 'meta_key', 'start' );
    $query->set( 'order', 'DESC' );
*/

    $query->set( 'post_type', 'ai1ec_event' ); // select only event post type
 return $query;
 }

 add_filter( 'pre_get_posts', 'events_only_in_home_loop' );