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Where the rubber meets the road: Wheel and tire shop keeps aircraft rolling

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Tim Jenkins
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing public affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  Picture a flightline full of aircraft. They are fully fueled, the engines are running perfectly and the crews are briefed on their missions. But what if the aircraft had no wheels? You'd have dozens of fully-loaded aircraft, with engines fired up but no way to roll.

With frequent missions, devastating heat, unimproved runways within the area of responsibility and heavy loads, the need for wheels and tires is never ending. Luckily, one group serves as a pit crew of sorts for hundreds of aircraft.

The 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron wheel and tire shop ensures a fleet of five different airframes continues rolling through the Central Command AOR by repairing wheels in theater.

The crew of eight turns out some big numbers, repairing between 40-50 aircraft wheels per day, on average.

"That number stays pretty consistent throughout the year," said Master Sgt. Anthony Rogers, 379th EMXS wheel and tire section chief, who added those numbers consist of tires from the B-1B, C-130, RC and KC-135, E-8C Joint Stars, and most recently, the C-17.
"C-130s are our biggest customer," he said. "They have a higher need for tire repair because they carry heavy loads and land on rough runways."

Daily missions throughout the AOR make a steady flow of serviceable tires a necessity. That need kicks the wheel and tire shop into high gear on a daily basis.

"The tempo here is definitely a lot different," said Staff Sgt. Howard Johnson, 379th EMXS NCOIC of wheel and tire. "We're working with a lot more tires, because there is always a steady demand. We really get a sense of accomplishment."

When tires come in, they are documented and technicians ensure they are not due for an overhaul. From there, the breakdown process begins. Technicians let air out of the tire, separate the rubber from the rim, and remove the "guts" and bolts. The rims are painted, if needed, by the corrosion shop and sent to the non-discriminate inspection shop, which searches for cracks or dents invisible to the naked eye.

The tires are then returned to the wheel and tire shop, and after another inspection, the rims are reassembled and matched with new rubber. A leak check and new serviceable tag makes the restored tire ready for use.

All of the steps in the repair process are done locally, which adds up to a large cost savings.

"We cut the cost of shipping tires to the states for replacement or repair," said Sergeant Rogers. "We save approximately $1,600 per tire by fixing them here, versus sending them back to the states."

Considering a C-17 has 14 wheels, the wheel and tire shop's local processes have the potential to save more than $22,400 in shipping costs for the repair of just one aircraft's wheels.

The shop rolls repaired wheels out the door on a continuous basis, keeping up with whatever tempo is set by aircraft needs. That pace is upheld, despite challenges like parts availability and varying levels of experience on the different airframes they service.

"Most of our guys are used to handling only aircraft at their home station," said Sergeant Rogers. "So they come here knowing one airplane, like KC-135s or fighters. Here, we have to handle all the different aircraft. We have to train them on all the different types of aircraft. It's a good chance to learn how the other side lives."

Sergeant Johnson said it's impressive to see a new group of Airmen from all over the world come in together to form a united team.

"We have eight Airmen used to working on different aircraft," he said. "But they end up coming together under one common goal."

Sergeant Rogers said he makes his expectations very clear to every member of the wheel and tire shop.

"Back home, the tempo is usually a little slower," said Sergeant Rogers. "Here, we can't afford to be laid back. We have to get tires out. It's a higher pace and there is no time to play around. We have to get things done."

Sergeant Rogers said despite the work tempo and his high expectations, the shop is performing extremely well in accomplishing the mission.

"These guys are doing an awesome job keeping the AOR supplied with everything it needs," said Sergeant Rogers. "Everybody is willing to do their part. They just go and get the job done, no questions asked. They are meeting by expectations by leaps and bounds."

Senior Airman Brandon Ansbro, 379th EMXS wheel technician, is deployed from RAF Mildenhall, England. He said the workload is worth the job satisfaction he gets from contributing to the fight.

"I get a bigger sense of accomplishment working here than I do at my home station," said Airman Ansbro. "When we build up a B-1 tire, we know it's for something important. We see them taking off every day, and it feels good to know we contributed to that. It's hard work, but it's cool."

Sergeant Rogers agreed.

"It's a good feeling," he said. "It makes you feel like you're doing something important. We save lives, because planes can't get off the ground without tires. We are where the rubber meets the road."