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At the request of the FAA, a committee was formed by the RTCA organization to prepare a Minimum Operating Performance Standard (MOPS) for Rechargeable Aircraft Lithium Battery Systems. This committee has being working for the last 2 years and completed the final draft during their 6th meeting in February 2008. Lithium Battery approval will be different than Nickel-Cadmium and Lead-Acid in that they will incorporate additional safety and documentation requirements. The MOPS, to be used by the FAA as the basis for a Technical Standard Order (TSO), includes the testing and evaluation criteria required for rechargeable lithium battery systems airworthiness demonstration.

This paper will summarize the details of replacing the EA-6B Sealed Nickel-Cadmium (SNC) batteries in an effort to reduce battery maintenance and battery maintenance costs. A flight evaluation program is presently underway at two locations to validate the proposed change from SNC batteries to Valve Regulated Lead-Acid (VRLA) batteries. The EA-6B aircraft currently uses two 26-volt SNC batteries, military part number (MIL PN) D8565/1-1, and one 24-volt SNC battery, part number MS17334-2. The SNC batteries are scheduled for maintenance every 112 days, which requires removal and replacement of the batteries at the O-level and battery maintenance at the I-level (battery shop). A load check is required every 28 days on the aircraft in accordance with the Maintenance Requirement Card (MRC).

This paper will summarize the details of replacing the CH-53E and MH-53E crashworthy batteries to improve system reliability, safety of flight and to reduce battery maintenance and battery maintenance costs. A flight evaluation program is presently underway at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River, North Carolina to validate the proposed change from Sealed Nickel-Cadmium (SNC) batteries to Sealed Lead-Acid (SLA) batteries. Under the sponsorship of the Commander, Naval Air Systems Command the Crane Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center identified a SLA battery as a replacement for the SNC battery currently being used in the CH-53E and MH-53E aircraft. The replacement battery is a direct form, fit, and function replacement for the SNC battery. It is presently planned that the SLA battery will have a one-year inspection period and a replacement cycle of three years.

In the continuing effort to save Fleet Operations and Maintenance (O&M) costs, a united effort was launched to propose the replacement of the Nickel-Cadmium battery on the F-5 aircraft with a valve-regulated, sealed lead-acid battery. The Aging Aircraft IPT (AAIPT) at Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River (PAX River), Maryland presented the concept to the Value Engineering group at Defense Supply Center Richmond, Virginia and successfully obtained funding for this and other Aging Aircraft efforts. The AAIPT then approached the Propulsion and Power Division of Naval Air Systems Command (AIR-4.4.4.1) as the cognizant engineering activity over batteries. AIR-4.4.4.1 then requested the assistance of Crane Division of Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC Crane) to develop a test plan and a Memorandum of Agreement and to obtain flight test authority as well as conduct the flight test.

Radio Technology Commission for Aeronautics (RTCA) at the request of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) formed a committee to prepare a Minimum Operating Performance Standard (MOPS) for aircraft batteries. The MOPS was limited to rechargeable and starting batteries as power sources for equipment installed in aircraft. This committee has being working for the last 3 years and completed the final draft during their 6th meeting in April 2004. The MOPS, to be used by the FAA as the base for a Technical Standard Order (TSO) in preparation, includes the testing and evaluation criteria required for secondary Lead-Acid (Pb-A) and Nickel-Cadmium (Ni-Cd) batteries airworthiness demonstration.

Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm the reality that it is not enough for a battery to be safe at high temperature. The military also requires them to operate reliably at high temperature. This paper first discusses some of the problems encountered with aircraft batteries during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. It then describes testing vented Ni-Cd batteries at temperatures as high as 190°F that simulated flying multiple sorties with the engine start battery charged from the aircraft bus. This paper then presents the test results that indicate current airborne charge limit parameters can be increased and allow military aircraft operate in greater temperature extremes. This paper concludes with recommendations on further improvements to low maintenance Ni-Cd batteries that will further enhance the operational flexibility of this robust battery design.

The United States Navy has flown Sealed Lead-Acid Batteries (SLA) for approximately 15 years. The first SLA aircraft batteries were cylindrical cell design and evolved to a prismatic design to save weight, volume, and to increase rate capability. This paper discusses the evolution of the SLA aircraft battery designs, present SLA battery performance, and battery size available along with their aircraft applications (both military & commercial). The paper provides some of the reliability data from present applications. Finally, the paper discusses future evolution of the SLA technology required to improve performance and to remain the technology of choice over other sealed aircraft battery designs.