In Oslo they use groundpower from a source in the ground until +/- 5minutes prior to STD then they start the APU.

Most pilots seem to want to use the APU as much as they can.

 

That's because if something happens to that external power connection, the plane goes dark. It's a little embarrassing if that happens during deplaning or boarding (any time passengers are on the plane). There are numerous things that happen to the connection including the plug being pulled out (it only takes about an inch of movement or so for the connection to be lost), the external power source could stop delivering power of the appropriate frequency/phase, if the external power source is a portable generator it could run out of gas, and there's always the infamous "nobody seems to know why it stopped working" reason. I'd say something happens to the connection about 10-15% of the time.

 

I've actually had ground power hooked up, and the GPU was so mess up that it fried some of the aircraft's essential systems. We couldn't even get emergency battery power to work. The plane was down for days.

 

If the APU is running, there tend to be fewer problems. The APU breaks a lot less often than the GPU. Plus, pilots like to be in control. We control the APU. We have had rampers disconnect the ground power before we cranked the APU... forgot to add that to the list of reasons the plane might go dark on external power.

 

Routine is "Chocks. Power. Air."

 

The cost of fuel has led airlines to insist that external power be used as much as possible. The only time we don't take external power is during a "quick turn." Basically, if we're going to be on the gate for less than 30 minutes.

 

If we take ground power, we want ground air. Otherwise all we have is the recirc air. Recirc air helps a little, but the cabin will still get stuffy and stagnate.

 

Air start carts (we call them huffers or bottles, depending on the configuration), are only used when the APU can't provide the high pressure air needed to start an engine. This is primarily because getting the rampers to find a cart, and then coordinating their use of it with our engine start can become a nightmare at times. The only time the APU wouldn't be able to provide the high pressure air is if the APU is deferred - generally speaking.

If the APU is running, there tend to be fewer problems. The APU breaks a lot less often than the GPU. Plus, pilots like to be in control. We control the APU. We have had rampers disconnect the ground power before we cranked the APU... forgot to add that to the list of reasons the plane might go dark on external power.

 

Yeah...loved having pilots come flying out of the plane running after me, pointing at the kid who yanked the power, and proceeding to ream me for what happened. No matter how many times we told them in training (signal or ask directly before disconnect), it seemed to be almost weekly I'd get chased down, or a text from a crew member saying "your rampies are straight stupid."

 

Air start carts (we call them huffers or bottles, depending on the configuration), are only used when the APU can't provide the high pressure air needed to start an engine. This is primarily because getting the rampers to find a cart, and then coordinating their use of it with our engine start can become a nightmare at times.

 

How often do you find one that knows how to actually use it? In all of the years I worked at IAD, I can only think of maybe 3-4 rampies.

 

 

 

Random aside: I'm driving across the country and I'm in Woodstock, GA, which is right next to Acworth. I'll wave as we pass by tomorrow.

"your rampies are straight stupid."

 

Ha! That sounds like something I might say from time to time. Although usually we're too lazy to go chasing (it's usually fruitless)... we just look down and mouth something that could be mistaken as being offensive.

 

How often do you find one that knows how to actually use it?

 

Nearly never. I cannot remember doing an external start that didn't involve AT LEAST one trip out of the cockpit during the attempt.

 

I watched "Training Day Tuesday" up in KIAD when I was based there (2010). It really seemed like rampers were brought out (in a large hoard), shown how to marshal a plane in, and then each one was given a turn while everyone watched. There were some good times.

Nearly never. I cannot remember doing an external start that didn't involve AT LEAST one trip out of the cockpit during the attempt.

 

I watched "Training Day Tuesday" up in KIAD when I was based there (2010). It really seemed like rampers were brought out (in a large hoard), shown how to marshal a plane in, and then each one was given a turn while everyone watched. There were some good times.

 

Figured.

 

I was a ramp sup there from December '09 and April '10, but ended up quitting because it was so bad. I was mostly on the A side and always, always wore some type of weird hat: conductor hat, fedora, whatever. I might've run by you a few times.