APU SOP's?

[Captain4242]

Our company recently started flying aircraft with APU's.
I'm wondering what other pilots do while using the APU...is one pilot required to stay with the aircraft? Or is it acceptable to leave the plane alone for a period of time while in the FBO? Then, how long is too long?
Thanks

 

[fu69atacafyeah]

Our company recently started flying aircraft with APU's.
I'm wondering what other pilots do while using the APU...is one pilot required to stay with the aircraft? Or is it acceptable to leave the plane alone for a period of time while in the FBO? Then, how long is too long?
Thanks

Check your AFM...it will tell you if it can be used/run while unattended, most likely for fire extinguishing reasons.

Run times that are too long are based on how much fuel you want to burn, how much your Director of Maintenance bitches at you, etc. We usually fire it up 30 minutes prior to departure.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

Our company recently started flying aircraft with APU's.
I'm wondering what other pilots do while using the APU...is one pilot required to stay with the aircraft? Or is it acceptable to leave the plane alone for a period of time while in the FBO? Then, how long is too long?
Thanks

Leave it unattended? as in unlocked, open and running with nobody there?



APU or not, we dont leave any unlocked aircraft unattended. We do train our FA's how to shut it down incase of a fire (pilots outside, etc)

As far as usage - its there for a reason! -

We dont sit at FBOs, we dont do many day trips...but if so we will run it for hours if needed. Typical fire up is 2hrs prior to pax show....as F/As need to prep etc.

AHHHPOOO...no need to fight the frac guys for the barca loungers anymore.

 

[2EASYPilot]

Our company recently started flying aircraft with APU's.
I'm wondering what other pilots do while using the APU...is one pilot required to stay with the aircraft? Or is it acceptable to leave the plane alone for a period of time while in the FBO? Then, how long is too long?
Thanks

We have an arrangement where our passengers call on the way for departure, only then do we start an apu. That is usually a minimum of 15 minutes prior to departure. Saves wear and tear on the unit plus the fuel burn. We only leave the apu unattended with the pilots on the outside unloading bags. Always within ear shot and then only for a few minutes.

 

[ProFracPilot]

I'd be interested in learning if any operators have APU SOP's specifically written to reduce maintenance costs. For example, will you operate with only one ECU (pack) operating on the ground to keep APU EGT's low? Or if you're flying a short repo leg (under an hour) and airborne APU ops is approved, will you leave the APU running in an effort to reduce the number of start cycles?

AHHHPOOO...no need to fight the frac guys for the barca loungers anymore.

Hey G200 - we trashed all the barcaloungers a long time ago. I think I'll go expend some carbon onset debits so that I can take a nap in a nice, cool airplane. Maybe even watch a movie. 5 hours to departure and with the "AHHHPOOO" the world is my oyster.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

Hey G200 - we trashed all the barcaloungers a long time ago. I think I'll go expend some carbon onset debits so that I can take a nap in a nice, cool airplane. Maybe even watch a movie. 5 hours to departure and with the "AHHHPOOO" the world is my oyster.

Its better than owning a 7-11!

:laugh:

 

[NCherches]

Am I ghetto for asking for a GPU instead of firing up an APU . . . Afterall if im gonna pay 100-300 ramp fee for you parking my jet I want some free stuff (GPU, Cookies, popcorn...)

 

[Diesel]

Since when is a GPU free?

and yes it is ghetto.

 

[BoilerUP]

Since when is a GPU free?

For many places not named Signature, I've found they're "free" for 30-45 minutes...after that its starts costing additional money.

 

[fu69atacafyeah]

Am I ghetto for asking for a GPU instead of firing up an APU . . . Afterall if im gonna pay 100-300 ramp fee for you parking my jet I want some free stuff (GPU, Cookies, popcorn...)

i dont think its ghetto...

 

[Shamus]

We had to have one pilot stay onboard at all times for insurance reasons, even though the F.A.s were trained.
We typically fired it up atleast one hour prior to pax arrival for FA.

As for a GPU being getto, I don't think so. I actually perfer it if it is a power cart because it is quieter, but we never did it unless m/x issue, which includes using a fire truck in the Galapagos as a GPU... funny pics.

Fuel burn... in a G-II/III your burning less then 150lbs an hour.

 

[blesko]

How about fuel costs folks. The CL850 apu, for example, burns 120 lbs/hr based on bleed air loading requirements. A power cart and PCA if available is a great fuel savings. APU's are great, but what's your budget?

 

[timmay]

How about fuel costs folks. The CL850 apu, for example, burns 120 lbs/hr based on bleed air loading requirements. A power cart and PCA if available is a great fuel savings. APU's are great, but what's your budget?

So how then do you handle the avionics cooling requirement in your RJ with no a/c.

 

[blesko]

Avionics are ac fan cooled, so as long as ac essential bus is powered, avionics will be cooled. Cabin is cooled via a pca cart attached to the right rear of the aircraft

 

[DrewBlows]

So how then do you handle the avionics cooling requirement in your RJ with no a/c.

AC powered avionics cooling fans. There is a 5 minute limit on DC power for this reason. Most, if not all RJ operators prefer GPU over APU for fuel/cycle savings.