Delta A320 Single Gen Taxi

Bandit_Driver

Bandit_Driver

Gold Member
@Derg

In the delta jumpseat the other day and notice the 320 crew shutdown the apu and taxied out single engine. This struck me as odd as it is prohibited at jetblue. In cruise I got to chatting with the captain and asked out it. He pointed out the SINGLE GEN OK placard and said they are modifying the Airbus for it. Unfortunately before he could get into more detail ATC got busy again and Detroit was on it rear weather wise.

@Derg can you elaborate what changes to the aircraft is taking place to allow single gen taxi? I assume single gen flight is still a no no. I was taught single gen taxi wasn't allowed because if you have a fire on #1 and kill you now have lost power on the aircraft as well as all fire detection capability.
 
In short an alternate source of electricity is provided to the system for fire protection. With out knowing the electrical diagram, my guess is there is now a direct link from the batteries to the fire protection. All of our 321s came from AB woth that feature, only a few remaining 20s/19s have yet to be modded, they also are adding EFB power on those planes as well.
 
Services By Airbus

The mod provides power to both fire bottle squibs so that two fire bottles are available when on battery only versus just one fire bottle without the SETWA mod.

It’s about 50/50 at my airline with a “SETWA” placard just under the aircraft registration to let us know we can taxi single engine without the APU with more planes having the mod installed when airline coughs up the money to Airbus.
 
woodreau said:
Services By Airbus

The mod provides power to both fire bottle squibs so that two fire bottles are available when on battery only versus just one fire bottle without the SETWA mod.

It’s about 50/50 at my airline with a “SETWA” placard just under the aircraft registration to let us know we can taxi single engine without the APU with more planes having the mod installed when airline coughs up the money to Airbus.
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This.

Single engine no APU on some of the non-modified aircraft was verboten because you lose fire protection. However, on the modified aircraft, you retain fire protection without an APU running.

Honestly, the guy who first brought it up several years ago was @skyrunner1500! :)
 
Bandit_Driver said:
Cool thanks. I'd be amazed if we get this. Still have wiglets sitting the hanger not installed from a few years ago...
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c700x420.jpg


Now get out there are start saving fuel!
 
Derg said:
This.

Single engine no APU on some of the non-modified aircraft was verboten because you lose fire protection. However, on the modified aircraft, you retain fire protection without an APU running.

Honestly, the guy who first brought it up several years ago was @skyrunner1500! :)
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Do y'all call it SETWA or do you call it "something else?"
 
I fly the bus for the other legacy with a globe on the tail. We have all sorts of weird procedures with single engine taxi, but no prohibition on single gen taxiing. Never heard of that.
 
Autothrust Blue said:
No.

The presence or absence of a SETWA placard is how we figure out whether or not we can, well, SETWA.
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Here, let me help you. ;)

Bandit_Driver said:
@Derg

In the delta jumpseat the other day and notice the 320 crew shutdown the apu and taxied out single engine. This struck me as odd as it is prohibited at jetblue. In cruise I got to chatting with the captain and asked out it. He pointed out the SINGLE GEN OK placard and said they are modifying the Airbus for it. Unfortunately before he could get into more detail ATC got busy again and Detroit was on it rear weather wise.

@Derg can you elaborate what changes to the aircraft is taking place to allow single gen taxi? I assume single gen flight is still a no no. I was taught single gen taxi wasn't allowed because if you have a fire on #1 and kill you now have lost power on the aircraft as well as all fire detection capability.
Click to expand...
 
The original design of the electrical system on the 320’s have an anomalies that when you’re taxiing single engine without another generator, if you have a fire on #1, you can’t fight the fire.

When I first heard that, I didn’t believe it. I asked the fleet captain about it, he didn’t think it sounded right. Upon further research, unless you have a specifically modified 320, ya better start asking questions if you’re asked ito single engine taxi without an APU on.
 
What’s the logic behind shutting down the APU for a single engine taxi besides conserving a little fuel?
 
Jordan93 said:
What’s the logic behind shutting down the APU for a single engine taxi besides conserving a little fuel?
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It saves fuel in the neighborhood of 300-600 lbs per hour. If you are able to shut the apu off during taxi. This can make a difference at congested airports with long taxi lines.


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Bandit_Driver said:
It saves fuel in the neighborhood of 300-600 lbs per hour. If you are able to shut the apu off during taxi. This can make a difference at congested airports with long taxi lines.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Is that a normal procedure at your airline? Normally when we run single engine in the CRJ we just keep the APU running unless I’m really tight on fuel, which usually isn’t the case. Ours only burns ~250 pounds per hour
 
No. It is a new mod by airbus. Delta and Spirit have been doing it on the modified planes. Jetblue does not have the mod and must SET with the apu running.


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The only time we single engine taxi without the APU is taxi in typically. The fleet wants us to start the APU approaching the gate (it takes 45 seconds to start if you already have the master on). Almost everyone I fly with subscribes to that mentality, which is probably why the Airbus fleet has the best efficiency numbers at the airline.

If you land on 27R in ORD, that can be easily 15 minutes of APU fuel that you save. Or IAH on 26R. It all adds up
 
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