5 interesting facts about aircraft tires

We have decided to write for you a small collection of articles on the topic "5 interesting facts about ...". Including several types of tires for different equipment. One of the most interesting types of transport, without a doubt, is an airplane. Today we will tell you "5 interesting facts about aircraft tires". 

How are aircraft tires inflated?
Aircraft tires are inflated with nitrogen, not regular air, because nitrogen is an inert gas, i.e., it reacts minimally to extreme pressure and temperature changes that occur during flight. Regular air reacts to such changes, which can lead to tire explosions. Therefore, inflating tires with nitrogen is a safer solution. While the use of nitrogen in car tires is a debatable issue, in aircraft tires it is a really important safety aspect. 

Extreme loads.
When landing, the wheels go from a state of absolute rest to movement at a speed of over 200 km/h. During these maneuvers, they heat up to an average of 100ºC, and sometimes the heating reaches 200ºC due to friction on the runway. Even without considering the operation of the tires, they are subjected to extreme temperature fluctuations from -60ºC at a flight altitude of 11 km to the moment of landing in hot countries. 

Several hundred components are used to manufacture them. 
The rubber mixture alone consists of approximately 200 components. There is also a range of metal and textile layers. The rim rings are significantly larger than those in passenger tires and, as a rule, several pairs are used. It's no wonder that the weight of aircraft tires can reach 200 kg.  

Aircraft tire lifespan
Aircraft tires are designed for 200 - 300 takeoff and landing cycles (approximately 6 months), but this depends on various factors, including the temperature they are regularly exposed to; the type of aircraft  (passenger jetliners, cargo planes, etc.; and even the condition of the runways they use. And, of course, as with cars, it also depends to some extent on the "human factor". In any case, aircraft tires undergo regular thorough checks to ensure they are in optimal condition for each flight.
 
How many wheels does a commercial airplane have?
The number of wheels, of course, depends on the aircraft model. In some cases, up to 32 wheels can be installed, while the popular Airbus A350 has only 14. Given their cost, it can be assumed that aircraft tires are a significant expense.