Page 23 - Luke AFB Thunderbolt July 1 2016
P. 23
Thunderbolt News July 2016
http://www.luke.af.mil
23Facebook.com/LukeThunderbolt
Wheels up: Hill shop improves F-35 tire change process
Story and photo by Tech. Sgt. James Speicher, right, 419th Maintenance Squadron air reserve techni- bead breaker — a compressing component
TODD CROMAR cian, rolls an F-35 Lightning II wheel into a tire changing machine while Senior which actually pushes on the tire, separat-
Airman Joseph Sprowls, 388th Maintenance Squadron, looks on in the wheel and ing it from its rim via hydraulic pressure.
75th Air Base Wing Public Affairs tire shop at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. The machine is a legacy tool, which has been
adapted via a fabricated bead breaker to be used in changing F-35 tires. After coming up with a solution, they
HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah — For provided their design modi cation proposal
years, the wheel shop at Hill Air Force Base Although the new tool is adequate, the pump as opposed to the automatic pump to the 388th MXS’s metals technology shop.
has disassembled, inspected, repaired, shop’s Airmen immediately recognized used on the legacy machine. There, Airmen fabricated a ring-shaped
built, and delivered reliable tires and inef ciencies. compressing component and the braces
wheels for F-16 Fighting Falcons. That reli- Drawing on years of experience changing necessary for adapting it to the legacy tire
ability and 24-hour turnaround service will Four workers are required to lift an F-35 F-16 tires, the shop’s Airmen felt they could changing machine.
remain intact as the base’s operational mis- wheel onto the new machine, while only one make the process of changing F-35 tires
sion transitions to the F-35A Lightning II. worker is needed to roll a wheel into the better if the legacy tire changing machine “Using the legacy machine means that we
shop’s legacy tire changing machine and could be used. After studying the legacy can load the F-35 tires by rolling them on
Three active-duty Airmen and an air another to operate the tool. Additionally, machine, it was determined the tool could instead of lifting them on as we have to do
reserve technician work in the 388th Main- the new machine employs a hand-operated be adapted for use with F-35 wheels if its on the newer, manual machine,” Mercado
tenance Squadron’s wheel and tire shop, Cruz said. “This saves a lot of time because
providing wheels for aircraft. only two personnel are involved, not four. By
using the automated process, it takes half
“We have been building tires for the F-16 the time, which allows us to provide assets
for decades, which means that the tools and to the war ghter a lot quicker.”
processes used to accomplish this task are
proven,” said Tech. Sgt. Astolfo Mercado Aircraft engineers recently veri ed the
Cruz, the shop’s NCO in charge. “For the modi ed bead breaker for use on the legacy
F-35, things are getting started, so we have tire changing machine and joint technical
to use our hands-on knowledge and experi- data is being updated so that the setup can
ence to ensure the process is streamlined be used on all F-35 variants, bene ting not
and ef cient.” only Hill’s F-35s but those throughout the
Defense Department as well as interna-
The F-35 tire change process has become tional partners.
more ef cient thanks to an innovation de-
vised by the shop’s Airmen. This success will continue, according to
Mercado Cruz, who noted that other tool
In conjunction with the rst F-35s arriv- modi cations are in the works.
ing to Hill AFB last year, the wheel shop
received a new tire changing machine — a “The innovations keep on coming,” he
hydraulic tool used to separate tires from said. “As more F-35s arrive, we’ll continue
rims — for exclusive use with the F-35. looking for ways to do things better.”
Because of you, Because of you, families never
we never received a bill. receive a bill from St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital®
for treatment, travel, housing
or food. Because all a family
should worry about is helping
their child live.
St. Jude patient Bailey with her father William, Marine Corps 800-822-6344
stjude.org
A CFC Participant. Provided as a public service.
©2015 ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (21337)
