PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-608
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 608
JULY 2003
PS 608
JULY 03
39
UH-60A/L…
Dear Editor,
Even though we take extreme care when we work on the Black Hawk
main rotor blades, mishaps still happen.
When mechanics perform main rotor head work, they sometimes bump
their noggins on the blades as they maneuver on top of the bird. An
occasional small bump on the head is OK, but in many cases, mechanics
bang their heads pretty hard on the main rotor blade trailing edge. If
that happens, the sharp edge can gouge out a piece and that may
require an emergency room visit for stitches.
We’ve come up with a quick fix.
We local purchase a foam tube
(swimming pool tube) with a hole
in the center, 2 inches in diame-
ter and 5 feet long for each
blade. Then we cut the tube from
the center out all the way
through and install it on the
trailing edge of all four blades to
save our skulls. ‘Course, we
always attach a
REMOVE
BEFORE FLIGHT streamer to
each foam tube.
2"
5'
watch
yourself
when you
get up.
hey, we’re
in
good
shape
now
that we have
the blades
covered!
great job, soldiers!
another first-class idea to
ensure maintenance is done
with safety in mind!
Good thinking! No more busted and stitched
up heads.
•
Begin sewing the top and bottom together, leaving one of the long sides open for
inserting the foam.
•
After inserting the foam, finish sewing the two pieces together.
•
Before installing pocket panel, be sure to reinforce the opening edge by folding
it over 1 inch and sewing or installing webbing on that edge for reinforcing the
pocket. Sew in a web tab for the safety streamer.
•
From the outer end of the trailing
edge, leave a 7-in opening 5 inches
from the corner to allow opening for the
static wick.
•
Once you’ve made the first piece,
then make another one that’s the mirror
image of the first one. (You need two
pads—one for the left half of the stabi-
lator and another one for the right half.)
•
The two pads will fasten together at
the center of the stabilator with hook
and pile fasteners as the diagram shows
below.
•
Assemble REMOVE BEFORE FLIGHT streamer, NSN 8345-00-673-9992, and
attach to sewn-in tabs. Use wire rope and swaging sleeve, NSN 4030-00-960-1654,
to attach the streamer.
If your unit does not have a shop that can make the cover, contact Fred Reschman
at the CA AVCRAD, (559) 347-5575.
View from
below
View from
above
Static wick
Pocket
REMOVE
BEFORE
FLIGHT
Pocket
REMOVE
BEFORE
FLIGHT
REMOVE
BEFORE
FLIGHT
REMOVE
BEFORE
FLIGHT
Static wick
Static wick
Static wick
Hook-and-pile
holds them together
Protective Pad
Stabilator
Pile fastener
(both sides)
Hook
fastener
(both sides)
Center tab
Center tab
From the desk of the
Editor
Pascual Arances Jr.
Moffett Field, CA
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