Easy on the brakes, please..!

We’ve had yet another tire blowout in a DA42 on a runway after landing… and because the other main tire (a pretty new one) also ended up with a flat spot, both main tires had to be replaced – don’t be that guy!

This is a gentle reminder that the DA42 brakes are very effective, and need to be applied gently.

After touchdown, apply aerodynamic breaking first (once the nose wheel is on the ground, hold the stick back) while gently breaking until you’re at or below 50 KTS – only then should the brakes be applied with a little bit more force.

Max breaking upon short field landing practice should generally be simulated (you announce it, but brake normally), unless of course it actually is a short field (though it’s generally not recommended to land on runways less than 3,000′ in the Twin Stars).

If TWR assigns you a certain exit that you cannot comfortably make with three wheels on the ground then just say that it will be the next one.

Please be advised that costs caused by unnecessary tire abuse will have to be billed back to the PIC – two new tires + work ain’t cheap..!