The key to this success is a fundamental change in philosophy. Instead of using mains electricity or a diesel generator for ground power, Powervamp's proven solution is to use silent, pollution-free, low-maintenance battery carts. Their capacity varies according to aircraft type and size, but all are sold under Powervamp's Coolspool brand.
DC turbine and turboprop aircraft are the backbone of regional airlines, being ideally suited to the short sector routes they operate. Typically they complete many flights of short duration, making frequent turnarounds.
During these turnarounds, various solutions are currently adopted in order to maintain avionics power on the ground. Some aircraft may be able to use an APU, while others may operate one of their turbines in "hotel" mode (with starboard propeller braked and the turbine at low power). However, such methods are extremely costly in fuel burnt, engine/APU wear, noise and pollution.
Whilst electrical mains power is an obvious solution, in many situations it is not an option. Frequently, the aircraft stand is too far away from a viable supply, or power is not available. With the frequent movement of fuelling trucks and servicing vehicles around the aircraft, trailing high voltage cables across a busy ramp is considered bad practice. That is why the self-contained diesel GPU is a common sight at the world's airports.
However, because the typical diesel GPU is designed to deliver AC power for large aircraft as well as smaller DC aircraft, it is massively oversized when powering a DC aircraft. Moreover, diesel GPUs are heavy, expensive to buy, costly to maintain and expensive in fuel burn, even with today's falling oil prices. They emit significant amounts of CO2, produce vibration harmonics, and can be a source of noise pollution.
The Coolspool Battery Cart avoids all these problems. Silent and pollution-free, it can be bought for under a third of the price of a diesel generator, and costs as little as one sixth to run compared with a diesel unit. On a reasonably busy ramp, the supplier suggests that airlines using several Coolspool carts can expect annual savings of up to £200,000 in fuel costs.
