APU Usage

[NETFLIER]

My number of $14 million is the hard accurate number.

the summation of apu hours added off the hobbs meter on each fleet times the average hour of fuel.

thats simple math, if you think its 10% of the number above you are dead wrong. on your next tour give it a shot.

most guys for some reason burn it a full hour. thats roughly 29 gallons of fuel an hour(200#'s), times avg price of fuel at $5.5, lets keep it simple round down and it equals $150.

multiply 150 times 3(average legs a day with 1 hour turns) equals $450 a day in apu fuel.

your 1.4 million would be burned up in 3,111 hours, across 300 some airplanes with apu. now you know better than that.

my number of $14 million was straight from the ponies mouth at reccurent and is most believeable.

 

[gutshotdraw]

I agree with you NET. My rough math came out around $4 million just for the Gulfstream fleet and I think I'm low by at least 50%. Last night, we had to burn the APU for almost FIVE hours to do two legs totaling 1.3 hours (three hour slide, gotta love 'em).

 

[dime line]

I agree with you NET. My rough math came out around $4 million just for the Gulfstream fleet and I think I'm low by at least 50%. Last night, we had to burn the APU for almost FIVE hours to do two legs totaling 1.3 hours (three hour slide, gotta love 'em).

I don't fly an APU plane. But I have started up the planes motors and then shut them down because of operational requirements. How hard is it to shut down an apu on the plane?

 

[gutshotdraw]

Harder than you think on a 450/550. A good 20 minutes from pushing the first button to taxi. The Laseref's alone take 12-15 minutes to align. When you have a slide and don't know when they're coming, Mr. Moneybags doesn't want to wait 20 seconds, let alone 20 minutes.

This is one of the major reasons why we can't STAND this stooopid new Customs rule of SHUTTING THE AIRPLANE DOWN TO BLACK on international inbounds so they can run their little geiger counter through the airplane. The term "quick turn" on a Customs stop is now a distant memory.

 

[blueridge71]

It isn't hard at all. I normally shut it down during taxi if it isn't needed for operational reasons. I normally start it about 30 minutes prior to pax arrival so the cabin can be cooling/heating while I get the clearance and set up the FMS.

 

[gutshotdraw]

The 450/550 is a computer and a finicky one at that. You have to wait three-four minutes after turning on the batteries before you can even start the APU because of the Built-In-Test (BIT) feature. Then the graphics modules have to boot up, and the Inertials have to spool up, and then the FMS load and performance init....blah, blah. Believe me, you need a Snickers bar.

 

[Coool Hand Luke]

Maybe I missed something here but you cannot always control your APU usage to just the 30 minutes prior to your departure:

- APU start 30 mins. prior to sked. departure

- 30 mins. later and still no sign of Mr. Jet Card

- 30 mins. after scheduled departure and still no sign of Mr. Jet Card

- 45 mins. after departure and Mr. Jet finally shows up with all his bags and entourage.

- 1 hour late and you are just now starting your engines

1 1/2 APU run and nothing you can do about it

 

[dime line]

understood, like i said i don't have an apu

 

[bailey3083]

I don't fly an APU plane. But I have started up the planes motors and then shut them down because of operational requirements. How hard is it to shut down an apu on the plane?

Easy just push the fire button. LOL

 

[Diesel]

Yeah I don't really understand all this questioning on apu usage. The other night we sat with the apu running for 5 hours waiting and waiting. To do an hour flight. Could we have shut down? Nope.

Owner get saying another 30 minutes another 30 minutes. At the end of it all he decided not to go. Good it was 3am and I was tired anyway.

This isn't like the airlines where you know you have x amount of time at each gate. This customs thing is such a pain in the ass its unreal. Shut it down, then refire the thing, even in the "classic" it sometimes doesn't fire up right.

Sure you're going to have a few knuckleheads that don't have a good policy on apu ussage. They will be balanced out by those that are extremely thrifty.

It all balances out in the end.

Also a quiet shutdown is only good when the FA is done.

 

[imacdog]

This is starting to sound like working for the regional again.

 

[DO-82 driver]

Good....maybe some will go back.

There shoulkd be nothing wrong with trying to save money. In the end, we will all benefit.

 

[SDCFI]

Easy solution if the wx supports it: plug in a GPU then shut down the APU. Airplane stays powered and ready to go, albeit with no climate control. Done this once or twice on the 45 when the pax were running way behind. Bottom line in this business is making sure Mr(s) moneybags is taken care of. If that means running the APU for 4 hours because they're 3 hours late and don't call then so be it. Like others have said don't use it to watch movies and catch some z's in the back on standby, and if you don't need it to close up on the last leg of the day don't use it. The last thing we need is the APU police telling us when we can and can't use it, that's what common sense is for.

 

[fischman]

Serious question

Is there a way to hook up a GPU to these aircraft? That way the equipment is up and running and no need to burn money.

The only airplane I ever flew that had an APU was the CRJ. It had external hookups for power.

 

[DO-82 driver]

Each a/c have their specific needds for using the APU like the X's and the Hawker 800, not sure about the Falcons or G-200's

The XL/XLS are perfectly fine for not using the APU when a GPU/EPU is avaialble. Considering we have over 100 of these types, that can amount to a sizable savings right there.

All possibilties will be explored, I can assure you that.

 

[Wiggums]

The only airplane I ever flew that had an APU was the CRJ. It had external hookups for power.

Ironically the Challenger 600 series can't take power at most FBOs because it needs AC power. GPUs at FBO almost always only supply DC power.

 

[Diesel]

You ever try and find a GPU at an FBO? Most of the lear guys are hogging them.

We need DC and AC to run, we can invert but its a multi step process.

For planes like the soverign and the XL battery starts are fine. For planes with bleed air starters running the apu is a must.

I found when I was in the X if you were able to get all the electrons to play nice then shutting it down caused more problems and might not guarantee a good start of the avionics or subsystems. It was always hope and pray.

 

[DO-82 driver]

"HOPE AND PRAY"

Now those are words I have heard on numerous occations to describe your flights.

 

[Hung Start]

[quote=Diesel;1539900]You ever try and find a GPU at an FBO? Most of the lear guys are hogging them.


Hey there D, don't poop on the needs of my Lear

And this coming from a guy who "hogged" my bagels.

Keep the faith, brotha.

Hung

 

[blueridge71]

Bottom line in this business is making sure Mr(s) moneybags is taken care of. If that means running the APU for 4 hours because they're 3 hours late and don't call then so be it.

You got it exactly right. If the pax are late then the APU keeps burning until they show up so you are ready when they do get there.