Velox Jack

Reliability Improvement

Aircraft wheel and tire replacement is a physically demanding, repetitive task that exposes flight-line maintainers to ergonomic strain and injury. This proposal introduces the VELOX JACK, a pneumatic-powered aircraft wheel handling system designed to simplify heavy tire changes and improve operational safety.

Constructed for rugged, remote operations, the VELOX JACK utilizes a robust pneumatic lift mechanism to handle the heavy physical load of tire removal and installation. Operated by a single user, the system’s precise manual pneumatic controls allow maintainers to easily raise, lower, and align heavy wheel assemblies with minimal physical exertion. Powered by standard DeWalt 20V MAX rechargeable batteries, this portable, flight-line ready tool is highly adaptable to expeditionary environments. The physical utility, structural design, and field readiness of this hardware have been successfully validated and are demonstrated in the accompanying submission video.

Looking forward, the VELOX JACK V2 is designed with a scalable hardware architecture to support a planned Phase-Two automation upgrade. Future iterations will integrate a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) and a linear position transducer to automatically record tire diameter variances and auto-level replacement wheels to the exact hub height. By combining proven, mission-ready pneumatic power today with a clear roadmap for automated precision tomorrow, the VELOX JACK V2 delivers an immediate, substantial leap forward in aircraft maintenance efficiency, safety, and capability.