PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-696
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 696
NOVEMBER 2010
41
PS 696
PS 696
NOV 10
During maintenance tasks,
the tool gets whipped out and
put to work on all types of
screw heads. That’s a problem
because the tool is not made
for all types of screws or every
maintenance task.
Using
the
multi-tool
on
screw heads and in general
maintenance
not
only
can
strip out screw heads but can
damage other components and
hardware.
Stripped screws mean you’ll have to use a drill and a punch to remove them. It’s
better to use the right tool, the right way, so you don’t create more work by using the
wrong tool, the wrong way, during maintenance.
Don’t grab the multi-tool because it’s convenient. If the TM calls for a speciFc
tool, use it. That way, you’ll avoid damage.
COLD TIRES -
Cold reduces tire air pressure, so check your helicopter’s tire
pressure often like your TM says.
Tires can freeze to the ground but you can free them with liquid deicer. Move the
aircraft immediately because deicer will form slush and eventually re-freeze.
Avoid
parking
aircraft
in
wet
or
slushy
areas.
Use boards, dunnage or a
similar
platform
surface
beneath tires to keep them
off snow or ice. Remember,
when
parking
on
frozen
earth and frozen mud, these
unimproved surfaces may
thaw during the day and
your bird may sink. Then
when the earth or mud re-
freezes at night, your bird
will be frozen in place.
Check your landing gear often. Use a clean rag dampened with hydraulic ±uid to
remove ice, dirt and grit from struts and pistons.
Service pressurized systems according to your speciFc aircraft maintenance
manual. Remember that any moisture can freeze into ice crystals and damage
seals.
Do not bend rubber hoses or rubber-coated wires while they’re ice cold. Rubber
gets brittle and stiff and could crack.
COLD WEATHER GUIDES
-
For more information on winter
maintenance operations, check out
the good words in each aircraft
TM. Also refer to FM 31–70,
Basic Cold Weather Manual
(Apr
68)
and
FM
31-71,
Northern
Operations
(Jun 71).
All Aircraft…
The Pocket Tool
how-
ever…
Multi-tool is
not
for every
maintenance
task
man,
this tool
comes in
handy!
yeah?
well,
tell
that to
my poOr
screw
heads!
Use dunnage to prevent tires from freezing to ground
remember: winter
pm
keeps your
aircraft flying in
the
cold!
the multi-tool, nsn 5110-01-394-6252,
is a handy-dandy instrument soldiers
almost never leave home without.
696.40-41.indd
1-2
9/27/10
10:59 AM
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