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Old 25th Jul 2021, 19:39
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visibility3miles
See and avoid
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: USA
Posts: 690
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I’m told that the inner tube in the tire/tyre in the nose gear can rot out because the front tire gets such little impact and abrasion relative to the mains that it can get past its sell date since the nose wheel doesn’t get changed out as often as the mains.

I also remember being scolded by my flight instructor, when learning to fly, to not to turn the nose wheel unless you were moving, as that can scrub off some of the rubber at a single spot and reduce its useful life.
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I landed at an airport once, enjoyed the local area with friends, then returned to find a flat nose wheel. Fortunately, there was a an FBO able to do repairs. They pumped up the front tire, only to watch it go flat again fifteen minutes later. They were able to replace the inner tube, or maybe the front tire too. I forget which, as it was a club plane, so I didn’t have to pay for it out of pocket.

I do know if I had it pumped up then took off immediately, it would have been flat again before I landed, which would have pushed my skills beyond what I had any interest in pursuing. My friends thought it was part of the adventure, especially the part where the mechanics leaned on the tail to lift the nose off the ground so the could repair the flat.

I have no idea why the mains would go flat. How long has it been since they underwent maintenace?
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