Definition
The visible distribution of wear across the tread of an aircraft tire, used as a diagnostic indicator of tire inflation, landing gear alignment, and operating practices. Even wear across the tread suggests proper inflation; wear concentrated in the center indicates over-inflation; wear on both outer edges indicates under-inflation; uneven wear on one side suggests misalignment of the landing gear or wheel.
Plain English
How a tire is worn down on the surface that touches the ground. The shape and location of the wear tells you whether the tire pressure has been right, and whether the wheel is sitting straight.
Context Anchor
Seen during preflight inspection and maintenance checks of the landing gear, tires, and brakes.
Why Pilots Care
Recognizing abnormal tire wear patterns allows early detection of problems such as improper inflation, misalignment, or brake issues before they cause tire failure or handling difficulties.
Analogy
Just like a car tire that wears unevenly when the wheels are out of alignment, an aircraft tire tells the same kind of story — the tread shows what has been happening underneath.
Intuition Check
Do not think of a tire wear pattern as just “the tire getting old.” In aviation, the pattern of the wear is a clue about the tire’s condition and about possible landing gear or brake problems.
Example Sentence 1
During preflight, the pilot noticed the tire wear pattern was heavier on both outer edges, suggesting the tire was under-inflated.
Example Sentence 2
After landing, the mechanic inspected the nose tire wear pattern to confirm proper alignment of the gear.