Hi,I found out today that the 727 can actually use the main battery as the electrical power supply for engine start. I imagine that this is so seing that it was built with the intention of being able to operate from remote locations.My question is, does anyone know if the 767, or any other boeing or airbus aircraft have this ability?Grateful as usual for any help

The 737 (at least the classic) can be started with just battery.Note, you still need an air supply to drive the engine during startup!Its just that the battery can operate the valves and ignition required to complete the atart procedure.As long as you have an external air supply, I'd say you could also start a 767. Stby power should be able to provide ignition. If you just have the APU running without its generator (ie no AC/DC power) things will become complicated as you need the main DC busses to operate the isolation valves! If they're open, you're lucky. :-)Regards,Mark

I don't think so. You need APU or external power facility

thanks for the reply guysi'd posted the same question on another forum, and a boeing mechanic says that's it's a "std abnormal procedure" for large transport category aircraft as far as he knows...this was the response:"I can't think of any large transport category aircraft that can't do a Battery start. It's a standard abnormal procedure. You wouldn't want to strand your aircraft and passengers if the aircraft had to divert to a field where there was no Ground Power available and the APU Gen. was MEL'd."who's correct??

The NG has a battery big enough for two consecutive starts for the APU. As others have pointed out the battery is used for firing up the APU which will provide the necessary pressurized air for the main engine starters and will also provide electrics. Then you have the option of fitting the NG with an auxiliary battery which would increase the number of start attempts you could do before draining the batteries.Hope it helps,

Maybe you could hop up on the engine and pull the blades around....like pulling a prop. :D :D :+ :-lol :-beerchug mike

I know from working the 757, A320, DC-10 and 747, all have the capability to perform a battery start. All excpet the A320 have an abnormal procedure checklist to accomplish the procedure. I would add that the chances of ever having to perform one is extremely remote. You would have to have no APU Electrics, and no external power with the availablility of an external air source or wokring APU Air to accomplish a battery start but it is possible on most large aircraft.RegardsPaul Gollnick :-cool

>but it is possible on most large aircraft.As Mark says, Paul, the Isolation Valves would have to be (previously) open or manually opened by an engineer (elec power comes from the main busses). I think even the PMDG 737NG is programmed this way (I seem to recall mentioning it to "Mr Rozario").Cheers.Ian

Every once in a while a story will make the rounds where a 747 is started by directing the blast of another jet's engine into it to "mimick" an airstart on the ground...its one of those heard it from a friend who heard it from a buddy who partied with the FA....Tim__757

Yep, you are correct. Job security eh!RegardsPaul Gollnick :-cool

I know that the apu on a dern a/c is very reliable, and the chance of having to attempt more than 2 starts is really low, but does this mean that if u fail to start the apu after 2 attempts, ext power must be used because the batts will be dead?

check the checklist

Hi Tim, How's things at my "Old Alma Mater"? Back in the old NCA days, the maintenance department had a hose made that would connect between two airplanes to inable a "Buddy Start" if an APU went inop at a station that didn't have a gtound start cart. (Back then that was most of the stations) We could start any combination of CV-580, DC-9 or 727 that way.Best,Ed Weber a.k.a Capn Tall

Hold'n are own Ed....well 14% lighter and waiting for the East Coast to re-appear.I recalled hearing that in my Orange Book days on the 72...those moments of discovery during cruise.I bet it made for an interesting MEL item:"One aircraft must have an functioning APU and a starting hose if no other starting facilities are available at the station."Or better yet, some child asking her mother what that tube between the two planes were for.....and some grizzled mechanic answers "That's how we get more jets...."Stay warm.Tim__757