PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-614
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 614
JANUARY 2004
Dear SSG Popplo,
Good idea, especially when you’re hustlin’ to load ammo. Remember, keep fingers
clear of the sideloader gears, sprockets and ammunition. Head off loading problems
by never using damaged ammo trays and correctly stowing the declutch wedge like
the IETM says.
PS 614
JAN 04
38
AH-64D…
Dear SFC Blade,
We have a problem with soldiers getting their fingers caught in the side-
loader while loading 30mm ammo on the Apache.
During field exercises, because of the rapid pace of the forward area
ammo refueling point (FAARP) operations, soldiers don’t always pay atten-
tion to the warnings or cautions in the IETM about the sideloader.
The lip inside the loader is dam-
aged when the declutching block is
inserted wrong. When ammo trays
are damaged, rounds won’t load
correctly and may fall out.
In either case, the armament
soldiers use a finger to push the
round into the loader while upload-
ing and then CRUNCH… their fin-
ger gets smashed between the
round and the loader.
We’ve come up with a way to
remind soldiers to keep their fin-
gers out of harm’s way. We made a
warning label out of sticker paper
with black lettering and placed it
on the sideloader as a reminder. It
says, “WARNING: keep fingers
clear of sideloader.”
SSG William Popplo
2/101 Avn
Ft Campbell, KY
WARNING:
Keep fingers clear
of sideloader
Apply label here
Store declutch wedge
properly to avoid
loading problems
Don’t
put fingers in load area. They
will
get smashed!
Keep fingers within guide
tabs, especially when
loading loose rounds
this side-
loader can
really take
a
bite
out
of you!
keep your
fingers clear
of the gears,
sprockets,
and ammo.
you’re right,
soldier. make
sure you load
those rounds
exactly
by
the book
614. 38-39 (C)
11/24/03
2:48 PM
Page 1
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