Historical supplier of Airbus, the industrial Auvergne has imposed Boeing by these innovations. Almost the entire range is now delivered with radial tires Kevlar significantly lighter.
The maiden flight of the highly anticipated Boeing 737 MAX , which took place on 30 January 2016, has made happy … at Michelin . Through a contract announced within 20 earlier in the factory, it is equipped exclusively by the French manufacturer. The US aircraft manufacturer has chosen its radial tire NZG (Near Zero Growth) last generation to equip its new OE jet.
With the 737 MAX, promised a bright future with 3,072 orders from 62 customers worldwide, the French industrialist underappreciated able -on a discreet triumph in Clermont-Ferrand- a form of its expansion strategy coronation commercial of the Boeing while it provides long, its European rival, Airbus. The main Michelin’s competitors on the market (the planes with 100 seats or more), imposing drastic technical standards are Bridgestone and Goodyear.
The first radial tire for aircraft arrived in 1981
“Michelin is a traditional supplier of Airbus has chosen our early radial technology for landing gear of its fleet. Boeing’s gone a little later on but our technology is speeding up the conversion of all fleet “explains Franck Moreau, director of product line Michelin Aircraft.
Besides the 737 MAX, Michelin, from July 2016, will be the sole tire supplier for the main landing gear of the Boeing 777: the 300ER (Extended Range), 200LR (long range) and Cargo. For these aircraft, they are also the technical qualities of NZG radial technology art, which has captivated the American aircraft manufacturer.
Appeared in the French manufacturer since 1981 on air tires, radial technology has been improved on the edge of radial 2000s has consistently scored points because it is lighter and offers more touchdowns. “The addition of a layer of Kevlar in the composite structure of the radial tire, already formed from nylon, provided the strength and reduces its mass” explains Franck Moreau.
A NZG tire endures 300 landings per year
The gain on the ground reach 10 to 15%. When you know that a single airplane tire usually exceeds one hundred kilos, any weight gain on 8-22 landing gear tires, according airplanes is popular with airline companions.
His best strength results in a longer life of the tire. It would be at least 300 landings per year on average, a gain of 15% compared to a conventional radial tire nylon structure, according to the manufacturer. It also depends on drivers, maintenance and condition of the tracks frequented by aircraft.
Together, these qualities of durability and weight gain lead to a tangible gain in terms of operating costs for an airline. These savings would average 10,000 to 20,000 dollars per year per airplane, depending on the type of jet. A key argument even if it has less weight but now, due to the drastic drop in the price of kerosene
Boeing and Airbus are supplied with NZG radial tires at the plant in Bourges. This site became the center of global tire production focal planes radial technology for the French manufacturer. Michelin, which does not release production figures, concedes that the series produced have nothing to do with factories working for the automobile.
If there is less air circulation as cars, aircraft tire requires many manual operations because of the complexity of the composite structure of radial aircraft tire. The automation of the manufacturing process is much less advanced.
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