US Airmen from the 302nd Airlift Wing at Peterson AFB, Colorado applied special protective tape to the nose landing gear strut on one of the unit’s C-130Hs as part of a test to combat the problem caused by rocks kicked up during landing on unimproved strips. The tape is an industrial product made of a six millimeter thick, abrasion-resistant polyurethane elastomeric material designed to resist punctures, tears, and erosion. It comes in a twenty-four-inch by thirty-six-yard roll that is enough which is enough to cover 108 struts. It is easy to apply and creates no pollutants. The tape is designed to extend the useful life of a new strut by up to two years and save on repair costs.
