September 16, 2010, 14:14:00 GMT
permalink Post: 5938207
Keeping her warm
I used to work for BA at BHX (Engineering). BHX was one of the BA diversion airfields for when LHR got fogged out.
A few of us were therefore trained on non BHX based aircraft types in case of diversions. On my shift, I was trained on the B747 and my colleage on Concorde.
Of course we didn't see these aircraft very often, but when we did we had to get out the old course notes to refresh
.
However, whenever Concorde turned up, my overriding memory was of my colleage who was obsessed with 'keeping her warm" - at all costs. I remember an occasion where the GPU, that had been running for a few hours (connected to a Concorde), ran out of diesel and therefore the power dropped off-line. I thought my colleage was going to have a heart attack - he did not come down from orbit until power was restored and everything appeared 'normal' again.
I think that this was something drummed into him whilst on his Concorde training course
A few of us were therefore trained on non BHX based aircraft types in case of diversions. On my shift, I was trained on the B747 and my colleage on Concorde.
Of course we didn't see these aircraft very often, but when we did we had to get out the old course notes to refresh
.
However, whenever Concorde turned up, my overriding memory was of my colleage who was obsessed with 'keeping her warm" - at all costs. I remember an occasion where the GPU, that had been running for a few hours (connected to a Concorde), ran out of diesel and therefore the power dropped off-line. I thought my colleage was going to have a heart attack - he did not come down from orbit until power was restored and everything appeared 'normal' again.
I think that this was something drummed into him whilst on his Concorde training course
Subjects
Boeing 747
British Airways
GPU (Ground Power Unit)
LHR
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December 04, 2025, 07:27:00 GMT
permalink Post: 12000167
I would think weight was the main reason for not fitting an APU.
Around the time of development, long haul aircraft like the VC-10, B707 and DC-8 didn't have APUs and major airports had suitable ground equipment to support these, ie. GPU, Air Start, Air conditioning.
Around the time of development, long haul aircraft like the VC-10, B707 and DC-8 didn't have APUs and major airports had suitable ground equipment to support these, ie. GPU, Air Start, Air conditioning.
Subjects
APU (Auxiliary Power Unit)
Auxiliary Power Unit
GPU (Ground Power Unit)
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