Airbus A321 Tire Change

[maplemanz]

where is your steel toe boots??

[iwanttoholdyourbigkn]

Not quite formula 1 speed on the tire change but a quick job considering the size and weight of the tire and the plane!!!

[MauritiusUncle]

An MD-80 towbar can work like a Johnson Bar in a pinch! ; )

[mchlwany16]

Yet I bitch about changing a 14 inch tire! these guys have my respect.

[houshidar558]

loud APU

[smacman68]

Man, those wheels are much larger when viewed this way than when you see them in normal operation. I can imagine what a nose wheel for the 747 or A380 must be like!

[Nikkichantress]

That tire was well within limits!

[metom7]

There are four men changing the tire because it is very hot outside, almost 100 degrees. Also, airplane mechanics have social dispositions. We often times help each other even when not assigned to a particular job. This is partially because we have worked together for years and also that most of us understand that we can't do everything by ourselves. Big airplanes take a team effort, and true team members know what is needed and what the other person is doing to complete a repair.

[marksp22]

@metom7 How much one of them tires weigh?

[64h5dsf14j6s41h5s4j5]

torque with right arm, turn with left arm. it´s not too easy, but possible. normally there are two men... but four is really disproportionated.

[scoobytopdog]

@64h5dsf14j6s41h5s4j5 I agree, 2 is normal, 4 is well over the top. They are not even using a thread protector, I know from past experience, that it can save a long and expensive delay if you damage the threads.

[metom7]

Thank you. That tire is a Michelin, made in North Carolina USA

[wireneck1]

Sava tyres out of budget world tyres 115-60-22. Made in china !

[kingdong001]

i have those exact tires on my car :)

[alik12120]

Michael shumaher will not be Happy from that ;)



[64h5dsf14j6s41h5s4j5]

four men to change a wheel? with the right tools you can do this alone

[scoobytopdog]

@64h5dsf14j6s41h5s4j5 If you have done this by yourself, then you have done it wrong!!!!

[64h5dsf14j6s41h5s4j5]

@scoobytopdog I don´t think so^^ aircraft are still flying, never lost a tire :P

[scoobytopdog]

@64h5dsf14j6s41h5s4j5 How do you torque the wheel nut and turn the wheel at the same time?

[laloavila64]

i hear : ''crack'' at1:45

[4IN14094]

some say that thread protector might jam the tire, I personally find that a correctly made protector makes putting the tire back into the shaft easier; well that is when the protector is correctly sized :P

[cesar333]

I want someone to shoot me if im still changing tires and have gray hair like these guys.

[mario737ify]

Heavy is the wheel itself? :P

[etikem]

youtube.com/watch?v=S8pNDK1pW2­o check this

[kyvelis]

Gorrilla! smash that wheel on baby, dont drop it! (twice)

[soberek]

I'd love to see these rims chromed and fitted to a pimped black Cadillac Escalade.

[757mech1]

Thats a neat tool you have there for lifting up the tire... What the hell dont we have any of those out here in PHX???

[retardedcentaur]

wht is that thing that pulled the wheel out with??? it so convinient to use...i have used the conventional wheel dolly, bt this one is better

have to admit, the APU noise is just too much to take, but that doesnt beat the love for the machine!!!!

[joshster89]

My airline didn't use this "johnson bar". We had a wheel lifter that could jack the wheel up/down to get it on/off the brake assy.

[SledHeadNE]

What!!! Dayshift changing tires they must have been pissed for months after that.

[zer0dahero]

holi crap! I've always wondered how that was done but I didn't know it was senior citizens doing the tire changing.

[1D0N]

I wonder how long the torque wrench is for tightening an airplane wheel.

[avioncamper]

How are the guys going to change tires on the new A350's that are on order?

[juliotube1970]

Very sloppy way to work in US Airways, no safety clothing and tools all over the floor...they didnt put grease on the wheel axe before mounting the new wheel, and lifting of the aircraft to high... and i didnt know usairways use four people to change one tire...

[metom7]

Charlotte, North Carolina USA. The airplane is part of the Airbus A320 Family and is an Airbus A321.

[spoilermixer]

@metom7 Tools on the ground and four men to change a wheel? Here in Brazil we are working more standard, faster!

[cripplehawk]

Is this at CLT or PHL?

[EpiDemic117]

hmm it's no bigger than a truck tire! though probably heavier.

[ThePatricio1979]

I can't belive how dangeruosly this people works. The tire could drop on the mechanics foot, and nobody has used security shoes. I think this company must review Its process and tools to do this job.

[bbialy83]

this is wheel for a 321 manufactured by goodrich

[skeletorphd]

I wonder if the boys from Mclaren could do this any quicker?

[hd96flstc]

this is great. Thanks for sharing. Can we see some more basic stuff like servicing fuel, oil, and lavs, hooking up the tow bar, etc. When I worked for B.I., N457BN was the three holer used by the Cowboy's. It was painted Mercury Blue, with grey and white trim - The "Ultra look" with the Cowboy's helmet on the vertical. I think it may have been the first air carrier aircraft painted in team colors. It's now N481FE.

[metom7]

@hd96flstc Thank you! This video was an attempt to show our wives that we do more than "just sit around all day and drink coffee." US Airways is big on team paint jobs and "legacy" colors to help us remember the good old days. If you want to see some of the servicing activities that might be possible, there's not much drama in seeing 30,000 gallons of jet fuel being pumped into an Airbus 330 but when it's raining cats and dogs sideways it is quite an activity!

[jcisuclones]

This is very cool! Notice N733UW parked right next to this plane. I've seen it 3 times at 3 different airports. Cool looking plane (mainly because I'm a huge Steelers fan)

[metom7]

@jcisuclones I will keep an eye out for the Steelers plane and get some special pictures for you.

[jcisuclones]

@metom7 Thanks! I only have one picture of it and it is quite blury because I took it with my cell phone. Im hoping that when FlightAware's update comes out so you can track US Airways planes through the tail number, i can figure out where it is.

[metom7]

@jcisuclones If you're checking now N733UW has flown today (11 July 10) from BNA - MYR, MYR - RDU, RDU - JAX and will RON (remain overnight) in Charlotte tonight. Flight Aware has 14 photos of the plane - go to Photos, look for custom at the top of the page and plug in N733UW, hit the "GO" to see them. I'll try to find it later tonight. PS: 'The Airbus A320 tire change' is now on the front page of FlightAware's "Popular Photos" with over 900 hits.

[jcisuclones]

@metom7 How do you know where its flying? My picture is the 4th from last on the "N733UW" search on FlightAware. (because it was from my hotel room and it was with my phone)

[metom7]

@jcisuclones I got on today's company arrival info ("Gate Manager") and found it's itinerary. Stormy weather here in Charlotte this evening so no new photos. I'll try to get more info.

[jcisuclones]

@metom7 oh cool! I've seen it departing KDCA (took a second look at it and saw the Steelers logo) then a couple days later, on my way back to Iowa in Chicago and then I saw it in Minneapolis and that's were I got that picture.