PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-582
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 582
MAY 2001
PS 582
MAY 01
38
AH-64A…
ANTENNA WASHOUT?
G
ood preventive maintenance includes giving your Apache a bath once in a while. But
be careful. Too much of a good thing can short out the bottom transponder antenna.
When water gets into the
antenna, it shorts out internal
electrical components and
you’ll get a NO-GO light on
the transponder control panel
during pre-flight checks.
A
NO-GO light could mean your
aircraft isn’t ready to identify
itself to challenging aircraft
and ground facilities.
If water gets into the antenna, your
repairman will have to remove the
antenna per Para 4-7-7 of TM 11-1520-
238–23-1 and
empty out the water.
Then you should do another main-
tenance operation check on the bot-
tom antenna like it says in Para 14- 13
of TM 11-1520-238-23-2.
If you push the fireproof strip out of place, it comes unbonded.
Without protection, the metal airframe cowlings and the duct assembly can crack.
That allows more heat into the engine area, resulting in an overheated engine and
decreased mission capability.
So instead of just jamming the
aft fairing in place and damaging
the fireproof strip, CW4 Michael
Pressley, 3-7th Cavalry, Ft Stewart,
GA, came up with a safe and easy
way to attach the fairing. He cre-
ates a
1
∕
4
-in gap between the engine
pan and aft firewall fireproof strip.
Here’s how:
1.
Unfasten the dzus fasteners on the aft end of the engine cowling.
2.
Open the engine cowling doors.
3.
Support the engine cowling doors with prop rods.
4.
Lift the aft end of the engine cowling to create a
1
∕
4
-in gap
between the engine pan and the aft firewall fireproof strip.
5.
Place the aft fairing in position and slide it into the gap.
6.
Fasten the dzus fasteners and you’re ready for the next mission.
Fire proof strip
will tear
PS 582
MAY 01
39
OH-58.
..
Kiowa repairers,
be careful
not
to push the aft
fairing’s fireproof strip
out of place when you
reinstall the fairing to
the engine cowling.
If water gets in
bottom antenna,
NO-GO light will
come on during
pre-flight checks
Wash
around
antenna
by hand
Hey buddy!
watch that
water
around
my
bottom
transponder
antenna!
582. 38-39 (C)
3/27/01
5:34 PM
Page 1
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