Strolling around on YouTube, I found a video of a Cessna Centurion blowning up a tire on landing.
The pilot was training for short field landings but braked too hard, especially on the left tire, causing a wheel blockage. Remember: a locked wheel is a very good recipe for a blown tire.
Listen to the sound of the left wheel just before it blowns up!
The very same thing happens in X-Plane if you’re a Reality Expansion Pack pilot.
The trick is to not apply too much brakes, even if the runway is short. Also, if you don’t want the brakes to become too hot, apply the brakes for few seconds (2-3), then release for another few seconds to let them cool down and then repeat.
In fact, applying to much brakes would not shorten your landing roll that much because:
- The more you brake, the hottest the brakes become, reducing their braking coefficient
- The more times you cause a small wheel blockage, more the tire will be “flattened”, causing a lower friction ratio on runway
- A blocked wheel has a lower braking coefficient than a non-blocked one
Where to check your tires
You can check the status of your tires during the pre-flight checks (that you should always do).
If the progress bar is in the green, then you have no problems with you tire. If the progress bar is yellow or red, by the way, you should repair it to avoid any sudden tire blow up.
Have you already experienced a blown up tire?
If so, why don’t you share with us your experience in our Facebook group?