Wheel Pants v.s. Snow

I flew without wheel pants all winter last year as they were not ready yet.
Last Tuesday had beautiful weather, -5°C, light winds.
Had to go for a spin.

The airport's apron, taxiways and runway were nicely plowed with only a light dusting of dry, powdered snow. See photos.
Outside of hard braking, this small amount of snow normally doesn't significantly influence ground handling. Except that the wheel pants were on this time.

After taxi and run-up, I noticed one very light, brief bind from the left wheel while back-tracking to the threshold.
Take-off and following flight were non-issues and wonderful as always.
On touch-down, again a light, brief one shot bind from both wheels this time.
Like landing with feet lightly on brakes.

Snow had most probably entered the wheel pants, melted on warm brakes and froze up.
The light binding events were barely noticeable and did not cause concern this time but it did make me reflect on a probable stonger binding causing an unpleasant incident.

24 hours after that flight, I removed the wheel pants.
The airplane is hangared and the temperature in there is 5°C.
Some of the snow melted overnight but there was still some left in the wheel pants. I was surprised how much snow got in there in a 5000 ish feet taxi/take-off/landing roll.

Winter time, I will fly without them now.

Thanks for sharing Eric… not that we’re getting much snow this Winter over here.
Time to install them skis then

I flew when we had a small amount of snow on the taxiway and just a bit on the runway. When I got back to the hangar, I noticed water puddles around the wheels and was surprised. I may consider taking my wheel pants off for the winter too.

Dan 57 said:

Time to install them skis then

Click to expand...

Nah...
I prefer skis under my feet on a nice Alps resort !!!

After we're out of this interglacial period we are experiencing, these fixed wheel penetration skis will come in handy!

https://vansairforce.net/community/showthread.php?t=80206&page=4

djipibi said:

more pics of the mirrors

Premier RV-8 sur skis. Faut innover. - First RV-8 on skis. Got to innovate. par djipibi, sur Flickr

And the skis

C-GKSZ Van’S RV-8 sn: 81084 (2003) par djipibi, sur Flickr

Click to expand...

I leave mine on all winter. Very important to not taxi with the brakes on so they don't get hot then melt snow and freeze. I do avoid taxiing on snow much over an inch though.

I have always left the pants on in the winter. If the depth of a fresh snow exceeds 5 inches I don't fly.
I also leave them on for grass field/ gravel/ etc.

Valve stem dust caps

Just prior to takeoff I taxied through a shallow puddle of water that was the width of the runway and about a 100’ long before flying at 15k and 21F outside for 3 hours. When I landed the tire pressure on the right main was extremely low as I taxied to the hangar before it got a hole and went flat. My assumption is that because I did not have the valve stem dust cap on, water was able to get to the shrader valve inside the stem. At altitude the water froze and leaked some air out of the tube. When we landed the tire was holding air but not at adequate pressure to keep the tire from spinning on the rim. After a few hundred yards of taxi the rim and tire made a pinch hole on the tube and the tube went flat. As I jacked up the wing to get a dolly under the tire I noticed a large puddle of water that leaked out of the wheel pant. I assume this was more of the frozen water that rode from Louisiana to Florida. Dust caps keep more than dust out.

An eye opener!

Pictures are of a friend's wheel pants after a flight. Conditions were 1" of fresh heavy snow (perfect for snowball making). He decided he will remove his wheel pants for winter flying from that point on!!

Eye opener indeed!
Was there any damage?

No damage. He did feel a jerk when he touched down though.
Just imagine what could have happened!

Made the same experience a couple years ago. Wheel pants on on sticky snow around freezing temps and they fill up and can freeze and damage the pants on landing - the frozen snow can even lock the wheel with other consequences!
I prefer colder weather when the snow usually is powdery and also avoid braking and melting the snow inside the wheel pants.

I am still too new of a pilot to go out when the runway isnt 95% clear. I had not considered the taxiways snow to the extent I will from now on. If there is a hint of snow, my pants come off! Those pictures really tell a story. I have not perfected the taxi without brakes - at least the right brake!!