Face it, aircraft tires are expensive, so why not do everything you can to make them last? Unfortunately, tires are one of the most neglected items on the preflight checklist. You can likely be doing more to increase their life and more importantly, help avoid a trip into the weeds—or worse— if they fail. Start with the FAA’s AC-43-13-1B chapter 9-14, which deals specifically with tire and tube maintenance. It states the obvious: that a program of tire maintenance can minimize tire failure and increase tire service life. Start with the basics.
• Tread wear. Put your eyes on the tread. Tires should be removed when tread has worn to the base of any groove at any spot, or to a minimum depth as specified by the tire or aircraft manufacturer. Tires worn to fabric in the tread area should be removed regardless of the amount of tread remaining.