Hello Byron,

Thank you for your comment on the article on Understanding Owner-Performed Maintenance in the Mar/Apr 2022 issue of FAA Safety Briefing. We forwarded your comment to the person who provided us with that image, Adrian Eichhorn. While the image was intended to show the correct/incorrect installation of a tire, you are right in that technically the bolts for the photo labeled “correct” should be installed in the other direction. Adrian agrees that the maintenance manual must be followed. However, in this particular case, the maintenance manual for Cleveland tires did not mention anything on which direction to install the bolts. In this case, you should then refer to the Illustrated Parts Catalog (IPC) which indeed shows the bolts in the opposite direction than what was pictured. In general, bolts should be installed with threads downward, inward, or aft (page 7-49 of the FAA General Handbook AMT General Handbook on faa.gov). But when installed on centerline, as with a nose wheel, there is no general guidance on this. The maintenance manual and the IPC should be consulted in that case to confirm the correct direction of installation. That was a really great observation on your part and we appreciate you bringing it to our attention. Thanks for your interest in aviation safety! Fly safe.