To retract or not to retract....

[taiar]

Would like to tap into vast knowledge and experiences as well as thoughts of you on the net....

After having a tire blow out on takeoff on a jet... and no other abnormality/ no obsticle... what are your thoughts of retracting the gear vs keeping it hanging out after Pos. climb, .... while deciding to return to departure airport of continue...... discuss.....

[hetfield]

After having a tire blow out on takeoff on a jet... and no other abnormality

Hard to say from the cockpit. Wheelwell doors, HYD lines, cables etc. may be damaged. If performances permits, suggest to keep the dunlops out and return.

[weido_salt]

Agreed. I would leave the gear down, performance permitting, as you just don't know what damage has been done or how hot the tyre (what is remaining) or wheel is.

May strongly suggest you have a read of the accident report of the National DC 8 the crashed at Jeddah, 1991. It makes very unpleasant reading but a must to inform how rubber ware can and did bring down a fully loaded a/c with passengers. They all perished.

[bflyer]

Hi I would like to second hetfield here....if a crash is not imminent, i would keep the tires out and it is a definite RTB( return to base ) for yours truly

[beamer]

Lost a tyre many years ago - amazing amount of damage in the undercart bay - electrics, hydraulics etc. Better by far to leave the wheels down always assuming of course that debris has not taken out an engine and you are struggling to keep the thing in the air !

[hetfield]

Here is the link to the Jeddah accident weido_salt is referring to

https://www.flightsafety.org/ap/ap_sep93.pdf

Unfortunatly there are still many transport aircraft around without a tyre pressure indicating/warning system.

In the US all new registered cars and trucks must have it since Sep 2007:\

[Old Fella]

Unfortunately, the fact that a tyre has blown is not always immediately known especially in larger aircraft with multiple wheels. Often it is a report from ATC after finding debris on the runway which alerts the operating crew to the problem.

However, if it is known, then a circuit with the gear down for a landing back at the departure airfield is probably the most prudent.

[FE Hoppy]

Concur with Old Fella.
Lost a tyre on a tristar. Found out after landing 9 hrs later when we had a truck light and asked ATC to check the gear.

On big jets unless someone sees it happen you may not have any indications until landing. Then truck lights and brake temps will give the game away.

New aircraft are required to have a system to stop the wheels rotating before they enter the bay. This is to prevent flailing rubber from damaging stuff in the bay.

[taiar]

Outstanding.....thank you for your input.....

[Tight Slot]

FE Hoppy - Well no, the brakes are used to stop the wheels spinning before retract to counter-act the gyroscopic forces of moving the gear up by 90 degrees.

[slip and turn]

Only a month since a similar thread appeared :8:
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=325799

[taiar]

Thank you for pointing that thread out Slip.... My search brought other stuff up but not that one.... in anycase... thanks for pointing that other thread and the link.

-Taiar....

[FE Hoppy]

Tight Slot.
You show me your ref. and I'll show you mine!!:ok:

[A37575]

If on a limiting runway suggest you seriously consider continuing the take off if a tyre blows less than 15 knots below V1 as the braking efficiency is seriously compromised during an abort.

[weido_salt]

A37575

Good point!