Cycling and saving Published March 4, 2013 By Airman 1st Class Jelani Gibson 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- As the silent hum of a motor thrums and cuts through the brisk air, a figure clad in protective gear and a black helmet revs up a gear. The bike goes through a field, kicking up fields of weeds as the wheels bump upon the uneven dirt surface. This bike, an all-electric one, and the man behind it, Lt. Col. Frank Arnold of the 80th Commander's Action Group, play a role in a much bigger Air Force concept: energy efficiency. Arnold enjoys the fact that he gets to ride a vehicle that he likes and gets to save money at the same time. "I got a bike and I'm saving," Arnold said."That's a nice feeling." Arnold's decision to buy an electric bike was influenced by his workplace and the 80th Operations Group Building, which is LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)certified, which means the building is energy efficient as well. When it comes to being energy efficient, Arnold recalls his time as a pilot when he was a lieutenant flying sorties at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, and a crew chief told him he was burning close to 3,200 gallons of fuel every 40 minutes in an F-15. "It just hit me," Arnold said. "If I fill up a 20 gallon tank, that's a little over 160 refuelings." After that, Arnold vowed to find an energy efficient vehicle in his personal life. "I promised myself in 2001 that my next vehicle would be electric," Arnold said. Arnold also emphasizes safety when it comes to riding his motorcycle, which makes minimal sound due to its electric motor, and awareness. "You get most accidents close to home because it's routine," Arnold said. Arnold looks at his choice of bike as his personal way of ingratiating the Air Force values of energy efficiency into his everyday life. "You want to eventually reach energy independence," Arnold said.