Creep marks.

[pistongone]

I noticed a few planes on the line today had creep marks that were non existant! What are your feelings on this? Also on the subject of tyres, what is, if any the tread limit? Point in question here is Yak52's that seem to run on slicks!

[englishal]

Not particularly bothered by the creep marks. If you were to believe our nose wheel, the tyre has creeped through about 300 degrees ;)

[FlyingForFun]

Quite some time ago, my former employer's engineering department stopped painting creep marks on new tyres. I spoke to the Chief Engineer at the time, and he told me that the current thinking from the CAA is that when tyres do creep, they do so suddenly, not gradually, so creep marks have little if any benefit.

FFF
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[pistongone]

:ugh: FFF,
is there a regulation requiring these marks? If so, and the wisdom is that they are not required, then shouldn't we be told? How many reg's are there requiring us to spend time and money on, that may not be required:ugh: :ugh:

[smarthawke]

The details of CAA requirements for creep marks are found in CAP562 Civil Aircraft Airworthiness Information and Procedures (CAAIP):

http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?categoryid=33&pagetype=65&applicationid=11&mode=detail&id=92

Have a look in leaflets 5-7 and 5-8.

They should be applied and re-applied by any good engineer as and when they need it (ie when faded and found on a check or when changing the tyre).

They often disappear on the tyre because most paint really doesn't like sticking to the rubber and if the aircraft is operated off grass, the grass rubs it off quite quickly.

[A and C]

In all my time in aviation I cant remember the last time that I saw a fully inflated tyre "creep" and wonder when the was the last time that smarthawk has seen a tyre creep?

Perhaps it is time trhat a pole of chief engineers was taken to see if the practice of painting creep marks is now outdated.

[smarthawke]

So A&C, what if the tyre is under-infflated as many are?! Brush up on the requirements if I were you - even you could afford to splash out on a bit of paint....

[Windy Militant]

The amount we paid for having them reapplied on a star annual a couple of years ago I'd be miffed to find out they were not needed.

I usually have a look at the valve as well just in case. Comes from riding dirtbikes in my mispent yooff!

[AerBabe]

... when tyres do creep, they do so suddenly, not gradually

In which case, they're not creeping. :suspect: