PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-697
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 697
DECEMBER 2010
38
PS 697
DEC 10
Plan, prepare and train for cold weather operations before the cold weather arrives!
Review your unit’s SOP for cold weather ops! Perform PMCS on your cold weather
aircraft ground support equipment. Never forget to keep your cold weather clothing
clean and serviceable. POL contaminated and dirty clothing will not protect you
from the cold.
For general aircraft cold weather information, refer to Chapter 10 of TM 1-1500-
204-23-1.
For Black Hawks (UH/HH-60A/L), you can fnd additional cold weather
information in WP 1796 00 of TM 1-1520-237-23-12. For the M-model, check out
your cold weather information in WP 1601 00 of TM 1-1520-280-23-12.
Here are some tips to help you win the cold, icy battle.
Tip
One.
When
the
mercury
dips and a freeze kicks up, there is
a two-step dance you should do.
Plan your job out before you step
out on the ±ight line and dress like
a 5-minute maintenance job will take
an hour. Bundle up and wear gloves.
If you don’t dress like you’re going
to Alaska, you’ll rush the job, pull
poor maintenance and risk exposure.
Winter clothing may be bulky, but it
allows you more time to do the job
right while keeping warm. If you’re
shivering from the cold, maintenance
won’t get done the right way.
Tip Two.
Cover your aircraft
like your TMs tell you and you’ll
win the cold war against Mr.
Freeze. If you can’t cover the
whole bird, at least cover up
engine inlets, exhaust openings,
and pitot tubes. For Black Hawk
covers, check out WP 1729 00 of
TM 1-1520-237-23-12. And for
the UH/HH-60M, check out WP
1539 00 of TM 1-1520-280-23-12.
Tip Three.
Warm the enclosed area
and the aircraft with a portable duct type
heater. Pre-heating a cold aircraft brings
frozen metal and seals back to shape. It
also warms cold lubricants and hydraulic
±uids. Pre-heating aircra²t reduces the
strain on engines and transmissions and
improves engine start-up too.
Keep a fre extinguisher handy when
you’re using a portable duct-type heater
and keep the heater away from fuel
and oil drains, vents and supply tanks
and
tentage. Avoid
directly
heating
plastic and plexi-glass windshields and
windows because heat can damage them.
The
Cold
hard
FaCts
All Aircraft…
The
Cold
HARD
FaCts
it’s
colder
than I
thought!
I need
to get
my cold
weather
stuff on!
winter’s blast is a
nightmare for you
and your aircraft!
Protect aircraft with covers
Bring aircraft inside for long maintenance
697.38-39.indd
1-2
11/1/10
5:42 PM
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