PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-687
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 687
FEBRUARY 2010
36
PS 687
FEB 10
Check
the
screws
for
the
servo
arms
on
the
wing ends before flight.
The
screws work loose. If they back
out completely, the linkage will pop
off during flight and the Shadow
will crash. Move the rudder and
see if the screws move. If they
do, they need tightening.
Don’t
forget
to
remove the elevation and
azimuth stow pins from
the tactical automated
landing system (TALS)
before you power up.
If
the pins are left in, the TALS
gears will be stripped.
Mark the position of
TALS
on
the
runway.
Once you have determined the
correct position of TALS on
the runway, mark the position
of its three feet with paint.
That will save you 20 minutes
the next time Shadow flies.
After the Shadow
lands,
make sure all pieces of
the shear pins are out.
That will save time next time
you mount the Shadow on the
launcher. Otherwise, you have
to remove the Shadow from
the launcher to put in new
shear pins.
When
the
Shadow
is parked, plug a fuel
bottle
into
the
wing
relief valve.
That way if fuel
expands because of the heat,
the fuel flows into the bottle
and not on the ground. But
make sure the pressure relief
valve is attached. Otherwise,
all the fuel will come out.
Editor’s note:
Your suggestions
will keep Shadows soaring. Thanks
for helping them fly.
When you remove
the REMOVE BEFORE
FLIGHT flags, make
sure to pull on the
flag’s pin, not the flag
itself.
Otherwise, the pin
could stay in place without
your realizing it. That could
prevent something like the
tail hook from going down
into position.
Channel A or B
failure during before
flight checks?
A good
troubleshooting tip is to
reverse the spark plug
boots and do the test
again. If the channel
changes, you’ve got a bad
spark plug. If the channel
doesn’t change, it’s the
ignition module that’s bad.
If you’re in a confined area, use two wing walkers to prevent the wings
from hitting anything. Make sure the prop is horizontal so it can’t catch
on the ground. Push down on the rear of the Shadow just enough so that
the front wheel is barely off the ground. That protects the wheel’s strut
from being bent by any-thing on the ground.
SPC Paul Witkowski
SPC Lucas Kannegaard
SGT Bryan Frymeyer
2-3 UAV Platoon
Ft Stewart, GA
Use wing
walkers
Prop should be horizontal
Keep front wheel just off ground
Pull on flag’s
pin, not flag
Reverse
boots
and
do test
again
Check
servo arm
screws for
movement
Remove
elevation
and
azimuth
stow pins
from TALS
Plug fuel bottle into
wing relief valve
with pressure relief
valve attached
687.36-37.indd
1-2
12/28/09
10:20:57 AM
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