Am I the only one who just learned that tire pressure checks are way off in cold weather?

I was reading a maintenance bulletin from Boeing last week and found out that for every 10 degree drop in temp, tire pressure drops about 1-2 psi. I checked our fleet in Denver during a cold snap and three planes were running 8 psi low. Never really thought about how big of a difference that makes on landing. Has anyone else caught this sneaking up on them during winter?

3 comments

3 Comments

lopez.brooke1mo ago

Yeah totally caught me off guard last winter too.

jaken231mo ago

That 'works the other way too' thing is no joke. My buddy Dave filled his tires on a freezing morning last year, then drove an hour to meet us for a ride. By the time we hit the highway, his tire pressure light came on and the tread felt hot. He had to pull over and let some air out 'cause the warmth made the pressure spike. Total pain, but we learned to check pressure at the temp you'll actually drive in.

shanel131mo ago

Did you happen to catch that it works the other way too? I read that a 30 degree temp swing can make a tire overheat if you fill it on a cold morning and then drive on a warm road.