Gill Battery OK'd for Airbus EC135/145 Helicopters

Gill Batteries has been awarded FAA parts manufacturer approval (PMA) for the installation of its new-generation 7000 series lead-acid battery on the Airbus Helicopters EC135/145. According to the Teledyne Technologies subsidiary, the battery is a direct replacement for Ni-Cad and other lead batteries. The company also said it provides higher starting power and more residual power after start up than other lead-acid batteries, with up to two times faster recovery from a deep discharge than Ni-Cad.

“No matter where in the world they are located, or what missions they are performing, EC135 and EC145 operators have one thing in common: they want a higher-performing, lower-cost battery, and this is what they will find with our lead-acid battery,” said Armando Chacon, the company’s general manager. “At any altitude or climate, the 7000 Series will reliably deliver the power necessary for efficient starting of your aircraft under the most demanding conditions.”

Chacon noted Gill’s new battery costs roughly one-third the amount of an equivalent Ni-Cad option and offers a longer interval—18 months or 1,800 hours—before an initial capacity check.