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Maintenance

Tire Retreads: Strong, Cheaper

Aircraft tires are highly engineered and are remarkably strong for their size. They often go from 0 MPH to 80 or more MPH in an instant without distorting enough to come off of the rim, plus they have to hold pressure at these high speeds. If the airplane is a little cockeyed on landing, the tires sustain tremendous side loads, far greater than ever expected of an auto tire. The tires have to be balanced to eliminate wobble, which can be quite pronounced at landing speeds and can transfer vibration to the airframe, creating shaky rollouts. There's plenty of engineering involved. The tires are designed by computer for different loads and speeds, and the tread design is optimized for landing on the different surfaces we see in our operations.

Jim Cavanagh
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Included on the FAA-approved Owner Maintenance List is tire replacement. With basic tools and a couple of specialty items that many of us have already, changing your tires can be a relatively quick and easy thing to do. In addition to saving the labor costs, you can save even more by replacing tires with retreads.

Retreads aren’t just for the 18-wheel trailer trucks. These days they can be a high-quality option for light aircraft that results in a sizable value if you understand the technology and buy from the right sources. Here’s an overview.

Jim Cavanagh