I run a flying club with about 14 aircraft.

Most of my A&Ps recommend running higher than published tire pressures to keep the pilots quiet.

I’m a by-the-book guy and figured the values in the Maintenance Manual were well-researched and there for a reason.

We use a calibrated gauge, and I put what’s in the book. This results in endless “the tire looks low but I won’t use a gauge because I’m a lazy unprepared pilot so now it’s an MX problem” squawks.

Do you ignore the MM, and if so what is your justification?

Most of our birds have 6 ply airhawks.

Start charging them for bullshit squawks that they could disprove on their own.

No excuse for not using a gauge to verify a low tire.

Do the pilots have a compressor or pump available to them to fix the issue themselves?

Or do they just squawk it and scrub the flight?

Ask them to start notating the tire pressure in the maintenance manual.

If members aren’t satisfied with that then they should get their A&P and start their own club.

They’re on a class C airport, there’s a very nice compressor and gauge at the fuel dock, about 100 yards from the tie downs. They never scrub the flight over it, they just figure it’s low and fly anyway.

Not that any of them know where to find the correct tire pressure (Hint: it’s placarded on the landing gear!)

I'd suggest a blast-o-gram email or note in the all-read file with a photo of what "correct" looks like with some words to the effect that while normal tire pressure might appear to be underinflated but is within the MM standard. If you have reason to believe underinflation exists, this is the procedure to test/inflate and is legal for the pilot to do so.

It sounds like the pilots are doing an "Info-only" write up to bring something to maintenance attention.

Several weeks ago another pilot and I were discussing the issue of TP.  I experimented with the cheap, battery powered compressor that is available to us.  It actually works really well -- set the target TP, attached it to the valve stem, and push start.

When I checked with a gauge, I realized that the TP was low by 5-8 pounds (it was -5 outside, and we are in an unheated hangar) due to the recent cold temps we had.  I also note that every time you check TP on low volume low pressure aircraft tires they will lose one or several PSI.  So if you are going to inflate them with a compressor, you really have to overshoot it a bit, use the gauge to bring it down to target TP, and then not mess with it again if you want it to be the correct TP.  That's what I really like about the cheap electric compressor we have, it has a built in TP gauge so there is not need to check TP after using it (which would release PSI below the target).

I am not sure that I would want a bunch of pilots checking the TP with a gauge on a regular basis, particularly if they are prone to flying it with low TP.  Then what you are going to have is pilots releasing a couple of PSI before each flight (each time they check with the gauge), calling it good, and then going flying on underinflated tires.  The first pilot who shuts down a runway at that Class C because they are stuck on it with a flat tire, will sit there as commercial jets do an elephant walk to the shorter runway and the FBO sends out a tug and wheel dolly.  Ask me how I know (no, it wasn't me, but I saw it and knew the pilots sitting on 18, and it took over an hour to open that runway back up).

To me this falls into the category of there is only one right way to do this, and it involves having the ability (and desire) to inflate the tires as part of the check.  If you are not prepared to do that, then do a visual inspection.

In my discussions with the other pilot, we both agreed that for a general preflight we will visually inspect the tires, otherwise it will involve essentially re-inflating them each time.  We check the TP itself with any large temperature swings.

It's like Yoda said.  "There is no try, only do."

I am interested in any other opinions on this.

Sounds to me like they are squawking it to the mx officer as an issue, and then going flying anyways.

That's kind'a like saying "thanks for dinner, it sucked" and then walking away leaving dirty dishes on the table.

I suspect that OP feels like he is sick of cleaning up after people.  I completely get that.

I've seen a few maintenance manuals that state the the initial pressure after a new tire is installed should be a certain amount above the high end of the pressure range. Outside of that exception, I don't see a good reason to go above the max limit. Would you rather occasionally bump up the pressure, or do you want to keep replacing tires worn thin in the middle of the tread?

1 pound of pressure for every 100 lbs. gross.