True Blue Power has introduced the TB50, a 50-amp-hour lithium-ion main-ship battery that fits in the space occupied by typical 44-amp-hour lead-acid batteries. Unveiled at the Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA) annual convention on Tuesday, the lithium-ion 28-volt battery replaces batteries with capacities of 38, 42, 44, 48, or 50 amp-hours and it weighs 43.9 pounds, about 50 percent less than lead-acid and nicad batteries.

As the latest member of True Blue Power’s Gen5 series, the TB50 uses the same connectors as the batteries it replaces, although it does require the installation of a vent system and a cockpit annunciator. Information available to the flight crew includes real-time state of charge and state of health but installers can also program parameters such as charge current limiting and end-of-life, minimum dispatch capacity, and engine start readiness alerts.

An onboard status indicator shows “state of charge, battery mode, and health data without the need for aircraft power or external test equipment,” according to True Blue Power. According to the company, other advantages of the TB50 are no need for battery maintenance or capacity checks and eight-year battery life.

True Blue Power has applied for an FAA technical standard order approval for the TB50 and expects to receive it in May. “We’re working with a couple of OEMs and with two partners on supplemental type certificates (STCs) to integrate the TB50 in Part 27 and 25 aircraft,” said Brett Williams, True Blue Power v-p of engineering.

An annunciator is also available, based on True Blue sister company Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics’ Flex custom-configurable display, in this case set up as the MD-23-104. “It shows the state of charge, health status, temperature, and faults and is a fully featured display,” Williams explained. “Or installers can roll their own as part of an STC or integration project.” The required indications can also be integrated into an aircraft’s primary avionics displays.