switch matrix 40 to each of the generators 12 14 to cause the generators to operate as motors and bring the associated engines 18 20 up to self sustaining speed typically the engines 18 20 are started sequentially rather than simultaneously once the engines are started operation in a generating mode can commence wherein power developed by the generators 12 14 and or 16 is provided by the source switch matrix 40 to the power converter units 42a 42c the units 42a 42c in any order or any combination can provide power to one or more of the loads via the load switch matrix 44 as desired during operation in the generating mode variable frequency power is provided to each multi purpose converter unit 42 42c and to the left and right variable frequency channels 24 26 fig2 illustrates the multi purpose converter unit 42a in greater detail it being understood that in the preferred embodiment the converter units 42b and 42c are identical thereto also shown are the source switch matrix 40 and the load switch matrix 44 it should be understood that each of the switch matrices 40 44 includes appropriate filtering for emi suppression alternatively emi suppression filtering could be accomplished by the multi.