working hard under job pressure.

Aircraft tires carry a lot of weight. They need the right amount of air pressure to get the job done when the rubber meets the road.

Service your aircraft tires by the book, with no shortcuts just like it says in each bird's maintenance TM mad/or TM 55-2620-200-24. Shortcuts can cost you your life.

When you remove tires to repair and adjust them, put 'em in an approved tire cage, NSN 4910-01-459-7080, to inflate them. Make sure you stand out of harm's way outside the wheel failure zone while inflating tires. Plus, wear safety goggles to protect your eyes and use a remote tire inflator assembly, NSN 6685-00-124-4336, with a 10-ft air hose.

Remember that overinflated tires wear out faster in the center of the tread. Tires without enough pressure tend to wear out faster on the outer tread and shoulders.

Always inflate tires when they're cool. While you're checking your tires, use a medium, cross-tip screwdriver to remove rocks, nails or other foreign matter stuck in the tread.

Use screwdriver to remove rocks and nails.

If punctured, replace tire

Check your tire inflation pressure daily and eyeball your bird's maintenance manual for correct tire air pressure. Remember, pressure varies with temperature.

Maintain proper tire pressure

Check ground handling wheels for proper pressure, too

For tires that require 50 psi or less, use pressure gauge, NSN 4910-00-204-3170. For pressures over 50 psi, use the tire inflator, NSN 6685-00-124-4336.

Black Hawk and Apache tires use nitrogen only. All other Army aircraft fires can use compressed air.

When you've inflated a tire, eyeball it daily for the next few days. If it loses more than 5 percent of its minimum operating pressure within 24 hours, repair it like it says in Table 3-1 of the TM 55-2620-200-24.

Replace tires when wear and cuts are beyond damage limits. To make sure cuts, cracks or holes haven't exceeded damage limits, use a depth gage, NSN 5210-00-357-5951.

Some aircraft tires have inner tubes, such as the Chinook. The tube can be a pain in the neck to get into the tire. So pay attention that the tube doesn't get pinched by the wheel halves when tightening bolts.

Here's a tip not in the TM that'll make inserting the tube easier. Apply a little talcum powder, NSN 6810-00-270-9989, to the tube and fill it with a small amount of air to get the wrinkles out before you insert it into the tire.

Use depth gauge to check for tire wear and damage

Aircraft       Position    Cut Limit (inch)    Pressure (psi)

AH-64AD         MLG              --            105[+ or -]5 *
AH-64A/D        TLG              --            105[+ or -]5 *
CH-47D          FWD             3/32                88
CH-47D          AFT             3/32                88
MH-47E          FWD             3/32                98
MH-47E          AFT             3/32               127
OH-58D           GH             3/32                38
UH-60A          MLG             4/32              130-140 *
UH-60A          TLG             3/32              115-125 *

* Use regulated nitrogen pressure source