Selecting an Aircraft GPU as a Complete Power Delivery System

Selecting an Aircraft GPU as a Complete Power Delivery System

An aircraft ground power unit is often compared by capacity, output voltage and frequency. Those values define the electrical source, but reliable project selection also depends on how the power reaches the aircraft. At ACSOON, the useful starting point is the complete delivery path: site input, conversion equipment, cable, reel, connector, load and operating environment.

This approach is relevant to both 400Hz AC and 28V DC ground power. It helps procurement and engineering teams prepare comparable quotations and identify project details before manufacturing, shipment or installation.

Start with the operating task

The same aircraft may require ground power for different tasks, including maintenance, avionics work, cabin service, training or starting support. Each task can have a different load profile and duration. A buyer should therefore describe what the GPU will do, not only which aircraft or rating appears in an earlier specification.

Define the power at the aircraft connector

The required output should be defined where the aircraft or load receives power. Cable length, conductor size, connections and current can create voltage drop between the GPU and the connector. This is particularly visible in low-voltage, high-current DC systems, but cable and load conditions also matter for 400Hz AC distribution.

ACSOON product information includes a voltage compensation function on the AF400W 400Hz GPU family. The required range and setting still need to be reviewed against the exact cable and operating condition. A published product-family feature should never be treated as automatic confirmation for every project.

Choose the mechanical format around the site

A fixed unit in a hangar, a trolley used between work bays, a trailer used on an apron and an under-bridge solution create different requirements for cable management, weather protection, mobility, access and maintenance. Selecting the enclosure and movement method early avoids treating them as packaging details after the electrical configuration is complete.

Use one shared data sheet for procurement and engineering

A structured RFQ allows the buyer, supplier and engineer to work from the same assumptions. The minimum useful data includes:

• site input voltage, frequency, phase and available capacity
• required output voltage, frequency and phase
• continuous load plus starting or peak demand and duration
• cable length, reel requirement and connector type
• fixed or mobile installation and number of outputs
• indoor or outdoor use, ambient temperature and altitude
• duty cycle, daily operating time and intended task
• nameplate, connector and site photographs where available

Unknown fields should be marked for confirmation rather than replaced with assumptions. This allows the technical review to focus on the information that could change the model, cable, enclosure or interface.

Related ACSOON resources

Aviation Power Solutions — Overview of aviation power solution routes.

400Hz Solid State GPU — AF400W family product information.

28VDC Solid State GPU — ADCW family product information.

Power Product Selection — Existing selection guidance.

Technical FAQ — Common pre-sales questions.

Online Message — Structured enquiry route.

A more useful quotation begins with better project data

Capacity remains important, but it should be evaluated together with the load profile, cable, connector, site input, environment and installation method. When these details are included in the RFQ, the final proposal can state its assumptions clearly and buyers can compare alternatives on the same basis.