Tire Pressure in a PA32

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drotto

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drotto
My POH for a PA32R-301 says to put 35 psi in the nose and 38 psi in the mains. I recently had a flat and when the mechanic changed the tube he recommended 42 psi in the nose and said go a little firmer in the mains like 45 psi.

I asked a second mechanic who recommended going about 5 psi above what the POH says. That would put me at 40 nose and 43 mains. And finally a saw the POH page from a later model PA32 (mine is an 82 SP, the page was for a late 90's turbo) which said go to 55 psi in the mains but like 35 in the nose.

So maybe stupidly, I am asking for opinions here on tire pressure.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 
I use a few psi higher in the mains and nose of my Cherokee, mainly because they tend to leak down over time, except for the one with the Airstop tube. At replacement time, all of them will likely receive Airstop tubes.
 
The landing was maybe a little fast, but the runway surface was smooth and in good shape. I generally come over the fence at around 85 knots so touchdown would be 75 to 80 knots. When I got the flat may have been 5 knots faster than normal.

I only bring this up because in addition to POH I have heard people using lots of different numbers. I was also wondering why two mechanics where recommending slightly a bbn over POH also.

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James331 said:
I air to the POH/AFM, ask your AP durning a annual where else does he deviate from what the people who build the plane recommend.
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While following POH guidance is the legal answer, the practical problem with this approach is that most tubes leak air, so depending on use they may end up under-inflated in short order. I can't speculate on why someone else would recommend it, but it has been recommended to me for that reason. I will say again, though, that my Airstop tube has remained steady at book numbers for a long, long time.

I would have to assume that an over-inflated tire would theoretically be harder on the gear, but I would expect the impact from a few psi variation to be negligible. I suspect that most uncalibrated tire pressure gauges vary by at least that amount from the targeted reading.
 
Shy of ice on the airframe, sounds like you were coming in waaaay too fast.
 
I fly my T Lance the same speeds. I don't think it's too fast at all.
 
That’s faster than a PC-12 lands.
 
Htaylor said:
I'm 100 kts over the fence in a 47, 15 degrees flaps. And I'm touching down fast to keep the pusher happy.
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Why are you landing 15?

Also do you hold the interrupt low level?
 
James331 said:
That’s faster than a PC-12 lands.
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Ok. Since we are comparing oranges and cranberries, how fast does a Full STOL 182 land at, or perhaps a Gulfstream G650? Because, you know, that really makes a difference in how PA32 drivers must fly their plane.
 
James331 said:
Why are you landing 15?

Also do you hold the interrupt low level?
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15 is company policy on runways over 6k ft. 30 on anything shorter. Since I land at a Class B daily, I have to keep the speed up for the A380 behind me. LOL. But I do land slower when I use 30 degrees.

I don't use the pusher interupt. I do pay attention to the AOA though.
 
Htaylor said:
15 is company policy on runways over 6k ft. 30 on anything shorter. Since I land at a Class B daily, I have to keep the speed up for the A380 behind me. LOL. But I do land slower when I use 30 degrees.

I don't use the pusher interupt. I do pay attention to the AOA though.
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Gotcha, we don’t have guidance on flap settings, that’s up to PIC.

But shy of ice issues, we land 30-40 as long as it’s not a crazy crosswind, as a old AG guy told me, if you’re going to crash, crash slow.

The pusher button, I just figure at low altitude (as in rounding out over the runway for landing), a shaker or pusher is more risk than the start of a stall less than a foot off the runway. I know some larger aircraft automatically disable the pusher systems when the radar altimeter reads less than X feet.
 
Higher tire pressure has a major effect on increasing hydroplaning speed. If you are landing regularly on wet runways, that may be a consideration for you. I don't remember the equation but I think it is a square function.
 
Htaylor said:
I'm 100 kts over the fence in a 47, 15 degrees flaps. And I'm touching down fast to keep the pusher happy.
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I'm donut in a Legacy and "carrot" in NG over the fence. 100kts is Fast (unless you are really heavy). "keeping the pusher happy" is just not knowing how to fly the plane. You have a ton of headroom between shaker and pusher. Good landing won't even shake, let alone be anywhere near a push.
 
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James331 said:
The pusher button, I just figure at low altitude (as in rounding out over the runway for landing), a shaker or pusher is more risk than the start of a stall less than a foot off the runway. I know some larger aircraft automatically disable the pusher systems when the radar altimeter reads less than X feet.
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So you land while pushing the pusher interrupt?
Lol.
 
mtuomi said:
So you land while pushing the pusher interrupt?
Lol.
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Of course I don’t, but I have heard other just shift a finger over as they round out to keep it pressed.
 
mtuomi said:
Ok. Kinda pointless, unless your landing technique is way off.
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I agree, having the pusher able to go off at super low altitude is pointless.

Personally I’ve landed and had a random wind/thermals/whatever float me for just long enough to get it to shake for half a second before touch down, if you’re like under 10’ RA those systems are more risk than reward.
 
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