As Concorde approaches its final days in service it has unwittingly proven the performance claims made for the new design of tyre introduced as a result of the crash in July 2000 near Paris Charles de Gaulle, write David Learmount and Max Kingsley-Jones. The Mach 2 airliner operates its last passenger services with British Airways on Friday (24 October).
On 12 October, BA's New York Kennedy to London Heathrow BA002 service suffered a tyre deflation without explosion or fragmentation, vindicating tyre manufacturer Michelin's claims for its new NZG radial ply tyre, a compulsory fit for the Concorde fleet since the accident.
The airline says the deflation must have taken place at the end of, or soon after, the take-off run, as the crew were unaware of the event until landing at Heathrow. Concorde's "flat tyre detection system" only alerts pilots to tyre failures during the take-off run between 10kt (19km/h) and 135kt. It senses unequal tyre pressure through uneven loading on the landing gear trunnion.
BA says the crew completed the landing run normally. The passengers were disembarked and the wheel changed before the aircraft was towed to a hangar for inspection. The supersonic airliner era will end with the arrival of the last three Concorde passenger services at Heathrow on 24 October, with the final touchdown - from New York - scheduled for 16:00. BA is expected to announce the destiny of its seven Concordes this week.
Source: Flight International
