We have a modified cowling on the underside of the APU, for some additional equipment.
Though this additional housing is designed to withstand quite hard contact with the runway surface, the possibility exists that it could impinge into the APU compartment as a result of a really hard hit.
Therefore the APU is required to be shutdown during all takeoffs - from a safety viewpoint!
Errrr.....No, I'm not QF......but I was in Australian Airlines operating B727 a few years ago, does that count?
And Shaka, it all goes anticlockwise here, which means we don't get a real winter, as you know it, here in BNE!
Cheers