Proper aircraft tire maintenance is critical for the safety of any type of aircraft. Hence, a recent article in General Aviation News is well worth reading as Goodyear Aviation’s Rob Robson gave a few important tips regarding proper aircraft tire maintenance.
The article began by noting that Rob has seen numerous aircraft tire maintenance procedures as well as inspected hundreds of worn tires. Hence, he has seen the effects of improper tire maintenance and thus had the following advice to give:
Proper Inflation Pressure. According to Roy, incorrect tire inflation can lead to severe problems as over inflation can cause uneven tread wear, reduced traction and additional wheel stress while under inflation creates faster tread wear and greatly increases the amount of stress and heating in a tire – which can also cause tire failure.
Carefully Inspect Aircraft Tires. Roy also noted that tires can loose up to 5% of their pressure a day. Hence, they need to be checked on a regular basis and especially before each flight. Moreover, an aircraft tire that’s found to be more than 10% underinflated should be removed from service.
In addition to checking an aircraft tire’s pressure, tires also need to be closely inspected prior to a flight for any possible damage. And if a tire should appear to be damaged, it should quickly be removed from service.
Keep Aircraft Tires Clean. Finally, Roy mentioned that aircraft tires and hangar floors need to be kept clean. In other words, insure that no harmful chemicals are used or spilled on the tires and be sure that hangar floors are kept clean of debris that could also damage them.
For more information about proper aircraft tire maintenance procedures, be sure to check out GoodyearAviation.com.
