Engineers tested the temperature inside an auxiliary power unit (APU) bay of an A-10 Thunderbolt II March 13, 2024, at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. The test checked the APU temperatures with an improved thermal insulation designed to increase the APU durability and integrity. The data gathered will be compared to baseline testing performed in June of 2021 to ensure the APU temperatures were at or below the operational thresholds from the baseline test. The next phase of this project will consist of receiving final documentation of all testing and making any necessary changes needed to permanently implement this new design into the A-10 aircraft configuration.

The test planning and execution was a collaboration between Ogden Air Logistics Center’s 309th Aircraft Maintenance Group, 419th Supply Chain Management Squadron, A-10 Systems Program Office, Hill Center Test Authority and Honeywell Aerospace. This component improvement project is the result of the 419th SCMS’s continuing efforts in evaluating depot maintenance data and feedback from aircraft maintainers and using the information to modernize Air Force aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photos by Cynthia Griggs)