Avionics News August 2015 - 33

check req uired at annual inspections.
And general aviation is on the brink
of seeing a new wave of lithium-ion
battery technology trickle into use,
thanks, in part, to the groundbreaking
development of M id-Continent
Instruments and Avionics.
With significantly more power, a
longer life and lighter weight, this new
technology is the first wave of what
looks to be the nex t maj or change in
general aviation batteries.
Even ex perimental aircraft operators
can opt for new lithium-ion batteries,
some weighing under 5 pounds with
the cranking power to start biggestbore 5 00-plus inch engines.
WHEN ALL IS DONE ...
MORE MUSCULAR,
MORE SVELTE
Even the forward-thinking
Comanche owner was awed at
learning of the improved performance
- and lighter aircraft empty weight -
accompanying the planned changes.
Neither owner/ pilot ex pected
the substantial weight differences
between a modern starter and original
eq uipment starters; ditto for the
pounds-lighter weight of the alternator
in his conversion and the old, loweroutput generator. Even the change to
a solid-state regulator took off another
pound compared to the old mechanical
controller.
For the Comanche owner - who
opted for a lighter, sealed and STC' d
battery - the weight loss totaled a few
ounces more than 22 pounds. The
available output j umped to 6 0 amps
from the generator' s max imum of 35 .
The new alternator-based system
supported everything electrical
with the engine at idle. W ith the old
generator, the engine needed to run at
upward of 1 ,5 00 to 1 ,700 revolutions
per minute before the charging needle
stayed on the positive side of the dial -
and even higher at night.
The Cessna 1 40 lost fewer pounds
but still gained the same improvement

in power and reliability.
As higher technology migrated
deeper into these aging aircraft, their
upgrades let the owners avoid issues
concerning whether their electrical
system are up to their j obs.
For aircraft still flying on originaleq uipment components, however,
the answer is often " no, I need more
power."
And those who could answer " yes"
with original radios, the system may

still lack the power needed by modern
panels.
Aircraft owners enj oy many
options thanks to the many options
for renewing and updating every part
of the electrical system, improving
reliability, reducing weight and
maintenance costs - which helps it
remain financially viable to fly.
Avionics shops can help by pointing
them toward upgrades appropriate for
their flying needs. q

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AVIONICS NEWS

AUGUST

2015

3 3

http://www.sandia.aero

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News August 2015