Mechanic repairing aircraft wheels complains about not having a method for measuring the wheel bead ...

Attributes
ACN	332596
Time
Date	199604
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : rdu
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	332596
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	oversight : supervisor
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

During rework of aircraft wheels, our manual calls out for all corrosion or damage to be blended out as per YYY page XXX. As an example, corrosion in the bead seat area can be removed to a maximum depth of .030, but there is no method to measure this material removed. This problem has been going on for at least 3 yrs. I have suggested solutions and made prototype tooling in an effort to solve the problem. Management is aware of the problem but solutions have not been forthcoming. I feel that we have been reworking wheels and putting them back into service when in fact there is no way at present to verify their compliance. These wheels come in again and again, year after year, the corrosion is blended repeatedly, material removal is compounded over time and still no way to measure material removal in the bead seat area. I have enlisted the help of upper management who is trying to help. So far no success. Entrenched bureaucrats are omnipotent.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MECH REPAIRING ACFT WHEELS COMPLAINS ABOUT NOT HAVING A METHOD FOR MEASURING THE WHEEL BEAD DEPTH WHEN REMOVING MATERIAL DURING CORROSION REMOVAL.

Narrative: DURING REWORK OF ACFT WHEELS, OUR MANUAL CALLS OUT FOR ALL CORROSION OR DAMAGE TO BE BLENDED OUT AS PER YYY PAGE XXX. AS AN EXAMPLE, CORROSION IN THE BEAD SEAT AREA CAN BE REMOVED TO A MAX DEPTH OF .030, BUT THERE IS NO METHOD TO MEASURE THIS MATERIAL REMOVED. THIS PROB HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR AT LEAST 3 YRS. I HAVE SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS AND MADE PROTOTYPE TOOLING IN AN EFFORT TO SOLVE THE PROB. MGMNT IS AWARE OF THE PROB BUT SOLUTIONS HAVE NOT BEEN FORTHCOMING. I FEEL THAT WE HAVE BEEN REWORKING WHEELS AND PUTTING THEM BACK INTO SVC WHEN IN FACT THERE IS NO WAY AT PRESENT TO VERIFY THEIR COMPLIANCE. THESE WHEELS COME IN AGAIN AND AGAIN, YEAR AFTER YEAR, THE CORROSION IS BLENDED REPEATEDLY, MATERIAL REMOVAL IS COMPOUNDED OVER TIME AND STILL NO WAY TO MEASURE MATERIAL REMOVAL IN THE BEAD SEAT AREA. I HAVE ENLISTED THE HELP OF UPPER MGMNT WHO IS TRYING TO HELP. SO FAR NO SUCCESS. ENTRENCHED BUREAUCRATS ARE OMNIPOTENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Mechanic repairing aircraft wheels complains about not having a method for measuring the wheel bead depth when removing material during corrosion removal.