Tearing up the tarmac

摘要

Aircraft tyres seem to be the unloved child of the aviation industry, but without them several tonnes of airplane would be unable to attempt either landings or take offs. The safety of hundreds of people relies on a rubber product that we all take for granted. An aircraft tyre is designed and manufactured to carry heavy loads at enormous speeds in the lightest and most compact configuration under huge amounts of pressure. So it will come as no surprise to learn that the modern aircraft tyre is a highly-engineered composite structure, made up largely of rubber and ply cords.