Becoming a pilot or owning an aircraft can be a life goal and dream for many. However, after having or flying one for some time, people start to understand how complicated this air-travel medium can be. Every component is crucial and needs detailed attention for optimum performance. May it be engine mounts, air boxes, fuel tanks, or tires everything needs to match the requirements.
You need to have some knowledge of every component and carry out regular maintenance and repair checks. Only then you will be able to keep this enthusiasm for owning an aircraft alive and practical for a long time.
To help you in understanding aircraft tires, the following blog post explains aircraft tires, their types, and handling methods in detail.
Types Of Aircraft Tires
Aircraft tires are divided based on the type of plies they have. The most commonly found tires are
- Radial ply tires
- Bias ply tires
Radial Ply Tires
These tires are relatively flexible due to their rubber-coated ply cords that extend along the beads. They are approximately 900 from the centerline of the treads. The outer covering is made stable by covering it with a highly inextensible circumferential belt.
Bias Ply Tires
They are different from radial ply tires in terms of their layered structure. They are made of various layers of rubber-coated ply cords and are center-lined at 900 towards the treads.
These tires can be divided into two categories based on their composition to deal with gas inflation.
- Tubeless Tires: they do not use tubes to inflate gas, instead they come with an inner line system to do so.
- Tube Tires: as the name suggests they use special tubes to deal with gas inflation.
Ways To Handle Aircraft Tires
Storage
- Tires should be stored in a cool, dry place.
- They should be kept away from direct sunlight.
- Tires should be inspected immediately and repaired when any handling damage is reported.
- Stay in compliance with the local tire storage and handling humidity levels.
- They should be placed where the tires don’t come in contact with oil, gasoline, hydraulic oils, jet fuels, and other similar hydrocarbons. (all of them affect the rubber in various adverse ways).
Also Read: Top Inspection Tips To Obtain Optimum Aircraft Exhaust System Performance
Mounting
- Correct mounting and demounting of aircraft tires are essential for both safety and performance.
- An inflated tire is prone to bursting and explosion. So, mounting and demounting should be done by specialized and trained individuals under special conditions.
- Newly inflated tires should be kept in cages with dry nitrogen.
- Be careful and follow the handling and maintenance procedures written in the aircraft manual. They are provided either by the aircraft manufacturer or wheel makers directly.
- Always ensure that the tires are inflated properly and according to the measured inflated rate pressure.
- Every aircraft tire is made to function properly under or up to a certain level of pressure. Exceeding this pressure can make the aircraft wheel burst even when attached to the plane. This can cause fatal and horrific aviation accidents.
Dismounting
Just like other processes in aircraft maintenance and repairs, dismounting an aircraft's tires also need care, caution, and technical expertise. Some dismounting best practices include;
- Before dismounting the tires from the wheel, make sure that you deflate them completely.
- After all the pressure has been relieved only then remove the valve core.
- Leave the wheel bolts and nuts tight until the tire has been removed. If the bolts are loosened there are chances for damage to the wheel mate point.
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