Externally verifiable thermal compensation of cowl opening actuator

A cowl door actuator arranged between a head end and a rod end that is connected to a cowl door, the cowl door being moveable between a closed position and an open position, the cowl door actuator comprising a piston rod axially moveable between the head end and the rod end, the piston rod having an extended position in which the piston rod contacts the rod end to move the cowl door to the open position, and a retracted position in which the piston rod is axially spaced from the rod end by a gap, wherein when the cowl door is in the closed position, the gap between the piston rod and the rod end enables an axial displacement of the piston rod toward the extended position during thermal expansion of fluid remaining in the actuator, whereby the cowl door is maintained in the closed position when the piston rod is axially displaced.