Honeywell, at the NBAA trade show in Las Vegas, displayed a Micro Power Unit prototype designed to provide the turboprop and light jet segment with on-ground power benefits similar to those afforded to passenger airplanes through the use of Auxiliary Power Units. Honeywell states it engineered the world’s first Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) in 1948 and has since produced more than 100,000 APUs. It has more than 36,000 APUs in service today across more than 150 regional, executive, commercial and military platforms, including both fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft.
Honeywell states its Micro Power Units, abbreviated by the company as mPU, is a first-of-its-kind product that will provide as much an 80 per cent reduction in on-ground fuel burn, when compared with using the main engines to power aircraft systems. The mPU, of course, also provides mobile power on the ground for critical aircraft systems such as air conditioning and avionics.
“By expanding our line of trusted and reliable solutions to include the mPU, Honeywell can better serve turboprop and light jet owners and operators looking to increase passenger comfort and reduce overall operating costs,” said Brian Sill, president, Engines and Power Systems, Honeywell Aerospace. “The mPU adds value to new and existing aircraft in a small, lightweight and quiet package.”
Honeywell explains the mPU is compact enough to fit in aircraft that have space limitations while still providing enough power to operate air conditioning, charge batteries, conduct flight planning and assist main engine start without using additional power sources. The company explains the mPU can help unlock new routes to more remote areas where power is not readily available, increasing an aircraft’s overall utility.
The mPU, explains Honeywell, can also offer similar solutions to military ground vehicles, allowing allows armored vehicles to access power without running their main engines. The mPU can provide a low-noise and low-emissions option to power electronics and cooling during silent watch and other missions.
