TURIN and sb_sfo,
Thanks for all that! A number of morsels to chew over with relish. Should have remembered how paranoid the Yanks are on sharing their technology. (Unlike we Brits, who hand it all away for free!) When, in 1986, our two A310s ended up being sold to Colonel Gaddafi (RIP...), the US govt went mad about the possible leakage of info, in relation to the GE engines, IIRC.
First thoughts are it's very interesting that the APU is normally run throughout a 90-minute turnround. Just like the old days!!! In the late, increasingly "green", 1990s, many airports got very excited if we didn't shut ours down within 5 mins of arrival... Is this a particularly quiet, low-polluting APU?
Yesterday, I proposed on this thread that the APU could be left running off-load from the beginning of the flight until the end of an ETOPS leg. This might be an interim measure if charging of the APU battery in flight was considered unsafe until a new charge system is developed. From what you say now, is the APU battery already restored to a fully-charged condition by the end of a 90-minute turnround with the APU running? If so, it would solve that problem.
Chris
Last edited by Chris Scott; 23rd January 2013 at 14:54.
Reason: (1st) Typos. (2nd) acknowledgment to sb_sfo, & 1st para extended.