APU running

[Aerial Anarchist]

Does anybody know the rules and indeed CAA laws in the uk regarding running APU's and the attendance requirements.

Is it ILLIGAL to leave an a/c with the APU only running with an engineer in attendence?

assuming no local rules dictated by the aerodrome operator is it acceptable and legal to leave an a/c as described?

[Hand Solo]

I don't know if it's ILLIGAL but its certainly not ILLEGAL to leave an aircraft with the APU running with an engineer in attendance. I'd say it's perfectly acceptable to leave an aircraft in that state. Given that the engineers can start up and shut down an APU at their leisure for whatever purpose they deem fit without pilots going anywhere near the aircraft I really can't see the problem.

[Pilot Pete]

Of course it's legal, do you think airlines would leave themselves 'up the swanny' on the legal front practically every day?

The main issue is if there is an APU fire and people are on board, ie cabin crew, pax, cleaners etc. Flight deck crew know how to shut the APU down in an emergency, as do engineers. So you will find that flight deck crew will regularly leave the a/c in the hands of an engineer when such people are on board, but usually waiting for the pax to be off first. Many APUs have an automatic fire detection and shutdown facility but the above is usually still observed.

After Sept 11th I know the airline I was with tried to teach No.1's how to shut down the APU in an emergency so that pax could be boarded before FD arrived at the aircraft (as a cost cutting/ ontime measure) but this ceased after a while (not sure if the legal side caused it, or CAA intervention or common sense prevailed!)

PP

~Edited to add that on review I think the answer to my opening line is probably yes they would if they thought they could get away with it!

[Jet II]

You can only leave an a/c with the APU running unaccompanied if it has auto fire detection and shutdown.

On the old type of APU without auto system an engineer/suitably trained person should be in attendance whilst operating.

Engineers (appropriatley qualified) start APU's, Engines, Taxi and operate every system on the a/c so why are you bothered about leaving them in chrge?

[Pilot Pete]

Even with the auto shutdown facility all the companies I have worked for have insisted that a 'suitably responsible' person be in attendance. FD crew will hand the a/c over to the engineer, usually after all the pax are off and he will remain in the vacinity of the a/c whilst the APU is running.

PP

[Jet II]

Pilot Pete

I am talking about fully automatic systems, as fitted to 777, that discharge extiguisher automatically when fire is sensed - not just auto-shutdown

[purple]

Most major airlines leave the APU running even on long transits, unless it specifically says in the notams to shutdown APU after external power is connected. This can happen even on normal one hour or so transits. Few Intl Airports do specify this.:)