PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-583
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 583
JUNE 2001
Dear Editor,
We’re having constant problems with dead
batteries in the new distress marker strobe
lights, NSN 6230-01-411-8535, that are
carried in survival vests.
Sling load training exercises require
crewmen to scoot around on the aircraft
cabin floor with their vests on.
Moving around in that position can trip
the light switch and drain the batteries.
Hours later, when crewmen turn in their vests, the light markers don’t
work. That means you replace a lot of dead AA batteries.
But, we’ve come up with a quick fix to save batteries. We wrap a sturdy
rubber band around the switch before it goes in the vest. That prevents
the switch from being accidentally tripped during training exercises.
SGT Jeff Mouser
C Co, 159th Avn Regt
Ft Bragg, NC
Bird droppings? Clean them off with a
dampened lint-free cloth, NSN 8305-00-267-
3015, using mild soap and water. Wear gloves
and a respirator.
PS 583
JUN 01
41
AN/TPN-18A Radar Set…
Remove Bird Droppings
A
ir traffic control operators, have the birds gotten the drop on your AN/TPN-18A again?
Your radar set sits outside, exposed to heat, snow, rain, wind and ice. So check your
equipment daily for peeling paint, corrosion, fungus and damaged or missing cables
or connectors. But don’t forget those highly corrosive and messy bird droppings. They
can eat through paint, wiring, and insulation and corrode metal. That can really do a
number on delicate electronic equipment.
That’s why PM is the best way to keep radar equipment clean and running no mat-
ter what drops out of the sky.
If you operate your equipment daily, clean and inspect it daily, like it says in Para
3-3 of TM 11-5840-281-12-1. Otherwise, do it before and after each use, or at least
weekly, if not in use.
PS 583
OH-58C/D…
rew chiefs, a little PM on the Kiowa’s
armored side panels could save your hide in
a dogfight.
Each panel’s ceramic covering takes a real
beating from the wind while you’re flying.
Over time, the adhesive on the back of the
cover dries out and gets brittle. The edges
will even peel away from the panel. That
reduces your protection against enemy fire.
So get out TM 1-1520-248-23 and clean,
inspect and repair those panels like it says in
Para 2-1-24. If the damage is less than the
1/4-in crack or chip damage limits specified
in Para 2-1-24, repair them using adhesive,
NSN 8040-00-463-7042. That’ll give your
panels and you more protection in a battle.
ALSE.
..
Remove bird
droppings
Good idea! That’ll keep the switch in
the right place—OFF.
From the desk of the
Editor
Repair small
chips and cracks
Rubber
band
keeps
switch
OFF
Hey, Gertrude!
Let’s get the
drop
on that
radar!
WARNING
DO NOT EXTEND
SHIELD FOR I.R.
OPERATION
583. 40-41 (C)
4/24/01
5:09 PM
Page 1
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