The aftermath of abuse: a flat nose strut and puddle of hydraulic fluid.

by Roger Long

There’s probably not a pilot out there with more than a couple dozen hours in basic tricycle airplanes who has not felt the infamous and alarming nosewheel shimmy. The other near-universal experience for pilots of Cessnas – and aircraft with similar nose gears – is going out to fly and finding the plane sitting dejectedly on a flat nose strut with a puddle of hydraulic oil around the nose wheel.

These two maintenance issues are much more affected by landing technique than many realize. Being kind to the nose gear can reduce problems and point the way to better landings. …