JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST -- Wheel and tire technicians with the 305th Maintenance Squadron here recently rolled out a new tire filling station, which has cut the amount of time required to fill C-17 Globemaster III tires with air in half.
The new station streamlines the tire filling process by generating its own nitrogen and automatically checking tire pressure as it fills tires to the required PSI.
“Previously, it took two Airmen about six hours to complete this task,” said Airman 1st Class Josh Wilgeroth, 305th MXS wheel and tire technician. “It was mandatory for one person to sit in a chair for six hours and watch the nitrogen car while the other Airman would constantly be checking the tire pressure. It was extremely tedious.”
The new tire filling station accomplishes the same task in less time while only requiring one Airman.
“The new equipment saves a tremendous amount of time and money for the Air Force,” Wilgeroth said. “We’re looking forward to utilizing the extra time to ensure even greater efficiency and quality in our shop.”
The technicians assemble mission-essential tires for all of the C-17 aircraft on the Joint Base by hand.
“I can imagine this is the most physically demanding job on the Joint Base,” said Daryl Miller, 305th MXS wheel and tire technician NCO in charge. “A single C-17 front tire assembly can weigh over 440 pounds, and we assemble them manually.”
With the amount of missions being supported by Air Mobility Command around the globe, the demand for repair and assembly of both old and new tires is high, but the technicians won’t fall flat.
“A lot of people think we don’t do anything because they can’t see us - we’re busy in the back building tires,” Miller said. “But, without us there are no tires, and without tires, the jets can’t fly, and Air Mobility Command can’t accomplish its mission of Rapid Global Mobility.”