using the APU

[ThisistheDream]

It seems like every summer the airlines MGT sends out memos with the concern of using the APU too much. Most crews use the APU when they are not supplied with another Air or Electrical option which is out of there control. When you pull into the gate its a 50% chance that you will be given ext. power with ground AC when its hot!! I think another cost savings measure should be to not use the air conditioning at the 20,000 Square feet headquarters 4 days a week from MAY until Sept. I can only imagine how much money airlines can save by reducing the electrical bill on a 20,000 foot square facility over a course of a year

 

[GuppyWN]

If they would enforce the procedures they wrote then we'd (WN) have air/electric at every gate, every stop, every time - no matter what the temperature is.

I'd say I get it 60% of the time. The other 40% I start the APU. I have beat my head against that wall for the last time.

Gup

 

[Sandhawk]

Ask an Eastie how an A320 can pull 3 contrails at altitude.....

:laugh:

 

[Green Banana]

The Eskimos have three contrails across the pacific every flight.

 

[BOYCAPTAIN]

send them a memo with concerns of them using the air conditioning in their office too much....

 

[DonVerita]

If they would enforce the procedures they wrote then we'd (WN) have air/electric at every gate, every stop, every time - no matter what the temperature is.

I'd say I get it 60% of the time. The other 40% I start the APU. I have beat my head against that wall for the last time.

Gup

Exactly Gup!

I don't beat my head against the wall anymore.

Here's my procedure:

1. I start the APU on the inbound taxi, each time...every time so that A/C is ready to flow the moment I arrive at the gate and set the parking brake.
2. Said APU stays on until both external Electric and external Air Conditioning are hooked up. Then APU gets shut off. If this stuff doesn't get hooked up, then APU stays on.

The rest of the crew and all of the passengers seem to really like my way of doing things.

 

[mamba20]

If its hot I turn it on, if some scab or company savior dosen't like it a turns it off while its 90 degrees in the plane I excuse myself and tell him that I'm not working in those conditions and I'll return to the aircraft once its a comfortable work place.

 

[aa73]

Exactly Gup!

I don't beat my head against the wall anymore.

Here's my procedure:

1. I start the APU on the inbound taxi, each time...every time so that A/C is ready to flow the moment I arrive at the gate and set the parking brake.
2. Said APU stays on until both external Electric and external Air Conditioning are hooked up. Then APU gets shut off. If this stuff doesn't get hooked up, then APU stays on.

The rest of the crew and all of the passengers seem to really like my way of doing things.

BINGO!! Wow, someone gets it.

Standard AA protocol = 2 engine taxi out for takeoff and 2 engine taxi in after landing.... the APU gets started every time on taxi in. Crew/pax comfort is the # 1 priority. Not to mention the fact that PCA/electric is 50/50 at this airline.

Never could quite understand the Delta heavy 767s taxiing out at JFK on one engine AND no APU... and then rocking the heck out of the aircraft behind them doing an x-bleed or goosing it up to 70% on the one engine for breakaway thrust. Is it really that worth it?

 

[Quimby]

BINGO!! Wow, someone gets it.

Standard AA protocol = 2 engine taxi out for takeoff and 2 engine taxi in after landing.... the APU gets started every time on taxi in. Crew/pax comfort is the # 1 priority. Not to mention the fact that PCA/electric is 50/50 at this airline.

Never could quite understand the Delta heavy 767s taxiing out at JFK on one engine AND no APU... and then rocking the heck out of the aircraft behind them doing an x-bleed or goosing it up to 70% on the one engine for breakaway thrust. Is it really that worth it?

To some pencil pusher behind a desk it is.

Forest for the trees...

 

[Deerkiller]

I'm pretty sure the big-wigs don't sweat in their offices. I refuse to sweat in mine.