Operational testing of valve regulated lead acid batteries in commercial aircraft

Abstract

Valve regulated lead acid (VRLA) batteries provide electrical performance that is virtually identical to sintered plate nickel-cadmium battery systems. In addition, the VRLA batteries offer the user a no maintenance battery and other enhanced features that make this a very desirable battery for aircraft applications. In field trials, where VRLA batteries were substituted for nickel-cadmium batteries, the VRLA provided the user with a high reliability turbine engine starting battery under a wide variety of climatic conditions.