Excel Pilots

[Choppy]

Just wanted to pick the fractional pilots brains to see what their company's SOP is for starting the airplane with or without the APU? Flightsafety says the aircraft should not be started with the APU??? They say it can't handle it and causes trouble. Cessna tends to disagree!

 

[d91papa]

Just wanted to pick the fractional pilots brains to see what their company's SOP is for starting the airplane with or without the APU? Flightsafety says the aircraft should not be started with the APU??? They say it can't handle it and causes trouble. Cessna tends to disagree!

Uh, FSI info is not accurate...XL can be started w/APU. battery, GPU or x-generator if one engine is already running. With APU running and it's generator on line, the starter receives it's power from the APU generator with the battery in line. One APU assisted start equals 1/3 battery start towards the 3 battery starts allowed per hour.

 

[SCT]

Why do you turn the avionics off w/ apu running for an engine start? Voltage spike? I always thought it was a funny set-up. It's the only cessna that I've flown that has an sop to do that.

Just wondering-

(PS- don't beat me up to bad for asking....I haven't flown an excel in 5+ years....)

 

[d91papa]

Why do you turn the avionics off w/ apu running for an engine start? Voltage spike? I always thought it was a funny set-up. It's the only cessna that I've flown that has an sop to do that.

Just wondering-

(PS- don't beat me up to bad for asking....I haven't flown an excel in 5+ years....)

I've flown other aircraft that the avionics have to be off during engine start...I've tried starting the 560 w/avionics on and get all kinds of flickerings...then have to wait for realignment of HSI..not so on DA2000. I'll do a little research and get back to you.

 

[gordon24]

Supposedly, all the NJA excels have been modified to start with avionics on. It's still old school in the checklist, so....

 

[Choppy]

Just wanted to pick the fractional pilots brains to see what their company's SOP is for starting the airplane with or without the APU? Flightsafety says the aircraft should not be started with the APU??? They say it can't handle it and causes trouble. Cessna tends to disagree!

Let me rephrase that... FSI says you will cause trouble with the APU if you start with it all the time?

 

[Cavpilot]

Supposedly, all the NJA excels have been modified to start with avionics on. It's still old school in the checklist, so....

As of last week, I am positive that there are unmodified Excels in the NetJets fleet.

 

[cjdriver]

Avionics

I was told that Cessna wants the avionics turned off as it was supposedly causing crt's to fail prematurely. We always turned the avionics off during start, but I would guess that it probably wouldn't necessarily cause a problem. This is Cessna protecting their warranty would be my guess.

 

[d91papa]

During engine starts with a starter generator being cranked, voltage drops from the load. The avionics circuits unless shunted, would have to be affected by this drop. The DA2000, needing air to start, doesn't load the APU generator, using only the bleed air from the APU. Both FSI system texts, initial and recurrent, discuss engine starts utilizing the APU.

 

[gordon24]

As of last week, I am positive that there are unmodified Excels in the NetJets fleet.

Hence, the use of the word "supposedly". I've found it depends on who you ask. I would say a majority of the folks I fly with turn the avionics off. One or two leave it on. It's in the checklist, so, I would turn it off. I'll play by the rules...saves me from getting spanked.