I'm going to go back to August 27, 2010 when I had a flat tire while doing my taxi tests.

I was completing the third pass down the taxiway and wanted to turn 180 degrees to the right when the plane would not turn. It would turn to the left but not right. I thought I might have fallen in a pot hole. Stopping the engine and deplaning, I saw the flat tire. I had to be ignominiously towed back to the FBO repair hanger to have the tire repaired. Inspection of the tube revealed this diagonal slice.


The A&P couldn't come up with a cause, even rubbing the inside of the tire didn't reveal anything interesting. All I could surmise was that at one point in the travels of the tube from manufacturer to me, someone must have inadvertently sliced it with a box cutter while unwrapping it. Needless to say, I was very grateful that it didn't happen while landing. Two years ago a Cirrus had a flat and after going off of the runway and through a sign, the insurance company had to write a check for $60,000. I then took the other two tires off and thoroughly inspected them for any damage, found none.

On November 8, on my 24th landing, the plane vibrated severely at touchdown and started to pull strongly to the left. Quick application of right rudder and right toe brake kept the plane on the runway and allowed me to let it coast to the left edge. Guess what? Another flat tire.



You can see the black squiggly line from the center of the runway to the tire.

Well, I survived a flat tire upon landing now.

The same A&P crew towed me again to the FBO repair hanger. Disassembly showed an unusual result.




The second tube had a remarkably similar slice as the first tube, in fact the slices were identical.

The A&P mechanic had never seen anything like this in his 30 years of experience.

This pointed to the tire and a very close visual inspection under a bright light showed a ply flaw that you couldn't feel and could barely see.


It looks like an errant ply thread had laid across the tire and caused the cut. I assume under pressure, the soft rubber becomes much stiffer and is tightly pressed between the internal air pressure and the inside surface of the tire.

I ordered a new tire and tube and contacted the tire vendor and supplier. They said that it was a defect covered under warranty.

After that I continued with the Production Acceptance Procedures and the plane passed all tests perfectly.


The plane is a joy to fly. I now have 20 hours on it and have completed the testing and am now able to take a passenger and go where I want to.





Note, the altimeter reads 10,000 feet MSL, the legal limit for a sport pilot.


I have installed wheel pants...




...and next week she goes in the shop for her paint job.

I'll post her new look.

Thanks for viewing my blog.

Frank