Interesting Citation STC

[pilottravis]

Came across a Canadian registered Citation CE-550 on one of our FBO ramps this morning with an addition to the nose gear I haven't seen before. Gravel kit that uses ram air to pre-spin nose tire prior to touchdown with bleed air used to regulate tire speed from the cockpit. I guess the idea being a tire already rotating doesn't dig in and kick up as much gravel possibly hitting the airframe or being ingested into an engine.

Definately something you don't see much of in S FL..

 

[Electromotive]

Interesting addition to landing gear for sure.

 

[frankbee3]

I had never seen that on any Citation 500 series. I wonder how much weight is added to the plane?

 

[john_pifer]

Bleed air?

It has bleed air running to the nose wheel?

 

[FastLane]

Manitoba Government used to operate Citations on short gravel runways in the north. C-GBNX, C-GBNE, C-FEMA. Google Manitoba Government Citation and it will come up with pictures. I used to work for them flying DHC6 Twin Otter.

 

[97prizm]

What kind of power loss is attributed to this. This is the first time I've heard of bleed air being used on nose gear.

 

[FastLane]

It was a Cessna option for gravel.