Aircraft Wheels and Tires: Their Importance and Maintenance

While one of the most important aspects of aircraft design is how well it can fly, there is also great importance on how it can operate on the ground. When discussing a commercial airliner for example, such aircraft need to be able to safely land, takeoff, and taxi around a runway. To achieve this without having to constantly rely on other equipment, it is a standard for many aircraft to have wheels and tires for ground traversal. As there are numerous types of tires and wheels that may be featured on an aircraft, it can be useful to have a basic understanding of the most common types and how they are used.

When discussing wheels, one is referring to the cylindrical and metallic structure that is directly connected to the landing gear axle with the help of bearings and other hardware components. Always paired with a tire, the wheel will be specifically shaped in a way that provides an optimal seating surface for the tire assembly. Moreover, to guarantee ample rigidity and durability in the face of stressors, wheels are made from aluminum or magnesium alloy which balance strength and weight well.

The tire itself is what makes contact with ground surfaces, and rubber is the most popular material for its ability to undertake impact forces and other harsh conditions. While typical automobile wheel assemblies may come in the form of a singular assembly, aircraft wheels are generally two separate pieces that are secured together alongside a tire with fasteners. This is necessary for aviation operations, as the two-piece design enables the assembly to act as a more efficient shock absorber for impact loads.

One of the earliest two-piece wheel designs was the removable flange wheel, simply coming in the form of a large wheel casting and a removable flange that would allow the tire to be inserted with ease. This design eventually led to the modern two-piece wheel where the assembly comes in two equal halves where bolting is necessary to keep everything together. Such wheel assemblies also feature flanges so as to withstand various landing and braking forces without risking having the tire slip off the wheel.

Due to the intensive forces regularly faced by tire and wheel assemblies, it is important that they are regularly inspected and maintained. As heavy landings and excessive braking are carried out, the temperature of a tire may rise, causing pressure to spike until it eventually causes the tire to blow-out. To mitigate the dangers associated with this, most high-performance wheel assemblies will feature a thermal plug that melts to cause deflation before an explosion.

As wear and tear will occur over time with continual use, assemblies should be looked over every preflight inspection to see if there are no obvious cracks, signs of overheating, tread wear, incorrect inflation pressures, flat spots on tires, or foreign object damage. If you find any issue, a repair or replacement should be conducted right away with the compatible parts or products. To ensure that you receive MRO items of the highest quality, look no further than Unlimited NSN for all your operational needs!

As an ASAP Semiconductor owned and operated purchasing platform, we present customers access to an unrivaled inventory containing over 2 billion new, used, obsolete, and hard-to-find parts. As everything is ready for purchase at any time, we encourage you to take advantage of our online RFQ service and forms to quickly and easily request quotes for your comparisons on items of interest. Once we receive and review a completed request, a member of our staff will reach out to you in 15 minutes or less to present a customized quote for your comparisons. Get started on the procurement process for your desired wheel and tire assembly parts and see why so many customers steadily depend on our services.