{"id":32094653,"date":"2026-11-10T10:24:03","date_gmt":"2026-11-10T09:24:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/aircraft-tyres-carbon-brakes-explained-nitrogen-retreads-fuse-plugs\/"},"modified":"2026-11-10T10:24:47","modified_gmt":"2026-11-10T09:24:47","slug":"aircraft-tyres-carbon-brakes-explained-nitrogen-retreads-fuse-plugs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/aircraft-tyres-carbon-brakes-explained-nitrogen-retreads-fuse-plugs\/","title":{"rendered":"Aircraft Tyres and Carbon Brakes: Nitrogen, Retreads and Fuse Plugs"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.et_pb_title_container h1.entry-title { padding-top: 40px !important; }<\/style>\r\n<!-- mfsh:top -->\r\n\r\n<style>\r\n.mfsh-trigger{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:10px;height:44px;padding:0 18px;margin:0 0 26px;border:2px solid 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Twenty tyres that were sitting still a moment earlier have just been slammed onto the runway and dragged up to touchdown speed, well over 100 mph, in the blink of an eye. The smoke is rubber.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Then the same tyres have to carry hundreds of tonnes down the runway while the brakes behind them turn the aircraft&rsquo;s energy into heat. Some of those brakes are made of carbon, glow orange in a hard stop, and wear out faster when you use them gently.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Aircraft tyres and brakes are some of the least glamorous parts of an airliner and some of the most cleverly engineered. Here is how they work, why they are full of nitrogen rather than air, and why a tyre can be worn out, sent away and come back to fly again.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"background:#f4f6f9;border:1px solid #e2e7ee;padding:18px 22px;margin:22px 0 26px\"><p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-weight:700;color:#0d1117\">Quick Facts<\/p><ul style=\"margin:0;padding-left:18px\"><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Typical airliner tyre pressure:<\/strong> Around 200 psi<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Deflection rating:<\/strong> 32 to 35 per cent (FAA AC 20-97B)<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Typical speed ratings:<\/strong> 190 to 225 mph<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Inflation gas:<\/strong> Dry nitrogen; no more than 5 per cent oxygen<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Nitrogen required:<\/strong> Transport aircraft above 75,000 lb take-off weight (14 CFR 25.733)<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Main tyre life:<\/strong> About 300 to 450 landings per tread (Air Canada)<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Retreads:<\/strong> Up to seven per casing (Michelin)<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Carbon vs steel brakes:<\/strong> About 700 lb lighter on a 737NG; up to twice the landings per overhaul (Boeing)<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Not a big car tyre<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>An airliner tyre looks like an oversized truck tyre, but it lives a completely different life. According to the FAA&rsquo;s advisory circular on tyre maintenance, AC 20-97B, aircraft tyres are rated at high deflections of 32 to 35 per cent and inflated to high pressures so they can carry huge loads with the smallest and lightest possible tyre. Airline mechanics typically inflate them to around 200 psi, several times the pressure of a road car tyre.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Their working life is short and violent: taxi and take-off, then landing and taxi, with long rests in between. The speed ratings show what they are built for. Michelin&rsquo;s Air X radial tyres for business jets and trainers, for example, are listed with speed ratings of 190 to 225 mph.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px;width:100%\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/11\/michelin-aircraft-tyres-landing-gear-chalk-marks.jpg\" alt=\"Two Michelin aircraft tyres on a landing gear leg seen from below against a blue sky, with chalk markings on the sidewall\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;max-width:100%;display:block\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">Michelin tyres on an airliner&rsquo;s twin-wheel gear, seen from below. The chalk marks on the sidewall are typical of tyre-shop handling. Photo: BriYYZ \/ CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Speed brings a force cars never face. Goodyear&rsquo;s aviation tyre manual calculates that on a 30-inch tyre at 200 mph, each ounce of tread rubber is pulled outwards at about 2,000 g. Spread over an eight-pound tread, that is an effective 16,600 pounds trying to fling the tread off the casing.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"background:#f8f9fa;border-left:4px solid #1565c0;padding:20px 22px;margin:18px 0 24px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.7\"><div><em>&ldquo;With forces like these, it is amazing that a tread can stay on an aircraft tire at all.&rdquo;<\/em><div style=\"margin-top:10px;font-size:14px;color:#555\"><strong>Goodyear Aviation<\/strong> &mdash; <em>Aviation Tire Care &amp; Maintenance<\/em> manual (2024), on centrifugal force at 200 to 400 mph<\/div><\/div><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Why the tyres are full of nitrogen<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>The big safety idea in an aircraft tyre is about fire, not air pressure. When brakes get very hot, heat soaks into the wheel and the tyre. The FAA has warned of potential explosive chemical reactions in tyres caused by atmospheric oxygen mixing with volatile gases released from the hot tyre. The fix is to take the oxygen away.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>For large aircraft that is the law. Under the US certification rules for transport aircraft, any aircraft with a maximum take-off weight above 75,000 pounds must have its braked-wheel tyres filled with an inert gas.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"background:#f8f9fa;border-left:4px solid #d32f2f;padding:20px 22px;margin:18px 0 24px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.7\"><div><em>&ldquo;For an airplane with a maximum certificated takeoff weight of more than 75,000 pounds, tires mounted on braked wheels must be inflated with dry nitrogen or other gases shown to be inert so that the gas mixture in the tire does not contain oxygen in excess of 5 percent by volume&rdquo;<\/em><div style=\"margin-top:10px;font-size:14px;color:#555\"><strong>US Federal Aviation Regulations<\/strong> &mdash; 14 CFR 25.733(e), Tires<\/div><\/div><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Nitrogen has other benefits. Goodyear points out that it will not sustain combustion and that it reduces oxidation of the tyre liner, casing plies and wheel. AC 20-97B tells mechanics to inflate new tyres in a safety cage with dry nitrogen so the tyre contains no more than 5 per cent oxygen by volume.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Pressure is checked every day, and ideally cold. Goodyear notes that tyre temperatures can rise more than 200&deg;F above ambient during operation, and that every 5&deg;F change moves pressure by about 1 per cent. A cold reading after a long taxi in the sun would be meaningless.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"background:#f8f9fa;border-left:4px solid #1565c0;padding:20px 22px;margin:18px 0 24px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.7\"><div><em>&ldquo;Accurately maintaining the correct inflation pressure is the single-most effective task in the preventive maintenance regimen for safe tire operations!&rdquo;<\/em><div style=\"margin-top:10px;font-size:14px;color:#555\"><strong>Federal Aviation Administration<\/strong> &mdash; Advisory Circular AC 20-97B, Aircraft Tire Maintenance and Operational Practices (2005)<\/div><\/div><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">The fuse plug: a tyre that deflates instead of exploding<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>Even nitrogen cannot stop physics. After a hard stop, the gas inside a tyre heats up and its pressure climbs. So wheels on large aircraft carry thermal fuse plugs: small plugs of metal that melt at a set temperature and let the tyre go flat in a controlled way, rather than burst.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Boeing showed what that looks like in its maximum brake energy test for the 737-10 in 2026. The aircraft, loaded to its maximum take-off weight of 197,900 pounds and fitted with brakes machined to within 2 per cent of their wear life, accelerated to 180 knots at Edwards Air Force Base and stopped on brakes alone. Brake temperatures went past 2,500&deg;F and, as designed, the fuse plugs melted.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;margin:24px 0 8px\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/f2YQpDkqkn4\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;font-style:italic;margin:0 0 24px\">Boeing&rsquo;s maximum brake energy certification test on the 777-9: a full-weight rejected take-off on worn brakes, with fuse plugs releasing as designed.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>After a stop like that, the tyre is finished. AC 20-97B says tyres that have been through high-energy rejected take-offs or overspeed landings where the fuse plugs released should be removed and scrapped, and Goodyear adds that if the plug released while rolling, the mate tyres should come off too.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Leased by the landing, retreaded again and again<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>Many airlines never own the tyres on their aircraft. They lease them from the manufacturer per landing. Air Canada has said main gear tyres last between 300 and 450 landings on average, depending on runway conditions and debris, and nose gear tyres even less.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>When the tread wears out, the tyre is not thrown away. It goes back to the supplier, the old tread is buffed off the casing, and new tread is bonded on. Michelin has said it can retread an aircraft tyre up to seven times. Goodyear marks every retreaded tyre with its retread level, the date and the plant that did the work.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px;width:100%\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/11\/michelin-air-tyre-fa-18e-super-hornet-main-gear.jpg\" alt=\"Close-up of the left main landing gear tyre of a US Navy F\/A-18E Super Hornet, with Michelin Air lettering on the sidewall\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;max-width:100%;display:block\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">Military jets use the same technology: the left main gear tyre of a VFA-115 F\/A-18E Super Hornet at Iwakuni, Japan, in 2016. The Michelin Air lettering is on the sidewall. Photo: Hunini \/ CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>That is why the inspection rules are so strict. A casing that has been overheated, run underinflated or cut into its plies is no longer fit to be retreaded. AC 20-97B even sets hard limits: a tyre found operating below 90 per cent of its service pressure comes off, and below 80 per cent its axle-mate comes off with it.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Carbon brakes: the stack that gets hot<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>Behind each main wheel sits the brake, built around a heat sink: a stack of alternating discs, some keyed to the turning wheel and some to the stationary axle. Hydraulic pistons squeeze the stack and the kinetic energy of the aircraft becomes heat inside it. On a large airliner that heat sink is often made of carbon rather than steel.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px;width:100%\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/11\/safran-carbon-brake-boeing-737ng-paris-2013.jpg\" alt=\"A Safran carbon brake assembly for the Boeing 737 Next-Generation on display, showing the white piston housing and the stack of carbon discs\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;max-width:100%;display:block\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">A Safran (Messier-Bugatti-Dowty) carbon brake for the Boeing 737 Next-Generation at the 2013 Paris Air Show. The white piston housing squeezes the stack of carbon discs behind it, which forms the heat sink. Photo: Julian Herzog \/ CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Carbon brakes began in high-performance military aircraft, according to Boeing&rsquo;s <em>AERO<\/em> magazine, because they were lighter and could absorb more energy. On the 737 Next-Generation, carbon brakes save about 700 pounds compared with high-capacity steel brakes, and Boeing says they offer up to twice as many landings per overhaul.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The surprise is how they wear. Steel brake wear is directly proportional to the energy absorbed, so gentle, frequent dabs are kindest to steel. Carbon is the opposite.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"background:#f8f9fa;border-left:4px solid #1565c0;padding:20px 22px;margin:18px 0 24px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.7\"><div><em>&ldquo;Carbon brake wear is primarily dependent on the total number of brake applications \u2014 one firm brake application causes less wear than several light applications.&rdquo;<\/em><div style=\"margin-top:10px;font-size:14px;color:#555\"><strong>Tim Allen, Trent Miller and Evan Preston<\/strong> &mdash; Boeing engineers, &ldquo;Operational Advantages of Carbon Brakes&rdquo;, <em>AERO<\/em> Q3 2009<\/div><\/div><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>So the pilot&rsquo;s best friend for a carbon brake is a single firm application: let the taxi speed build, brake once, release fully, repeat. Riding the brakes is the worst habit of all. Heat matters too. A separate <em>AERO<\/em> article notes that brakes approaching their wear limits can run up to 30 per cent hotter than new ones, simply because there is less carbon left to soak up the heat.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;margin:24px 0 8px\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/tNLV1n2-vCM\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;font-style:italic;margin:0 0 24px\">Animagraffs&rsquo; animated cutaway of how airliner brakes work, from the hydraulic pistons to the stack of rotors and stators.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">The worst day a brake can have<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>Every new airliner must prove its brakes on the worst day imaginable: maximum weight, the highest decision speed, worn-out brakes and no thrust reversers. Boeing&rsquo;s 737-10 stopped in about 11,000 feet of a 15,000-foot runway. Then the crew had to wait five minutes, the time a fire crew at a commercial airport would need to arrive, before anyone could touch the glowing wheels.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"background:#f8f9fa;border-left:4px solid #d32f2f;padding:20px 22px;margin:18px 0 24px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.7\"><div><em>&ldquo;The worn brakes are actually a requirement to show the worst possible scenario.&rdquo;<\/em><div style=\"margin-top:10px;font-size:14px;color:#555\"><strong>Capt. Kevin Zeznick<\/strong> &mdash; Boeing test pilot, on the 737-10 maximum brake energy test (Boeing, April 2026)<\/div><\/div><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>It is a stunning thing to watch. Brakes glow orange, tyres hiss flat on cue, and the airplane sits there in a cloud of heat haze, perfectly safe. Boeing&rsquo;s 747-8 went through the same ordeal.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;margin:24px 0 8px\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/_g6UswiRCF0\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;font-style:italic;margin:0 0 24px\">Boeing&rsquo;s 747-8 performs its ultimate rejected take-off test, stopping on brakes alone.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Next time you hear that thump and squeal at touchdown, spare a thought for the hardware doing the work. A tyre filled with nitrogen so it cannot burn, plugs designed to melt before it bursts, and a stack of carbon discs that prefer one hard squeeze to a hundred gentle ones. Not glamorous. Just very, very clever.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><em>Sources: FAA Advisory Circular AC 20-97B, 14 CFR 25.733 (eCFR), Goodyear Aviation Tire Care &amp; Maintenance manual, Boeing AERO magazine, Boeing (737-10 brake test feature), Michelin, Jalopnik<\/em><\/p>\r\n<!-- mfsh:bottom -->\r\n\r\n<button type=\"button\" class=\"mfsh-trigger mfsh-bottom\" data-mfsh-placement=\"bottom\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><svg><use href=\"#mfsh-i-share\"\/><\/svg>Share this story<\/button>\r\n\r\n<!-- \/mfsh:bottom -->\r\n\r\n\r\n<style>.mfq{margin:34px 0 8px}.mfq h2{font:26px\/1.3 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117;padding-top:22px;margin:0 0 6px}.mfq .qa details{border-top:1px solid #5C91FF;margin:0;padding:0}.mfq .qa details:last-of-type{border-bottom:1px solid #e2e7ee}.mfq .qa summary{cursor:pointer;list-style:none;display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center;gap:16px;padding:22px 26px;font:18px\/1.7 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117}.mfq .qa summary::-webkit-details-marker{display:none}.mfq .qa summary::after{content:\"+\";font:24px Helvetica,sans-serif;color:#3568e0;flex:0 0 auto}.mfq .qa details[open] summary::after{content:\"\\2013\"}.mfq .qa details:hover summary{color:#3568e0}.mfq .qa .a{font:16px\/1.7 \"Gilroy regular\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#454e5e;padding:0 26px 24px}.mfq .qa .a a{color:#3568e0}@media(max-width:680px){.mfq .qa summary{padding:18px 14px;font-size:17px}.mfq .qa .a{padding:0 14px 20px}}<\/style>\r\n\r\n\r\n<section class=\"mfq\"><h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2><div class=\"qa\"><details open><summary>Why are aircraft tyres filled with nitrogen?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">Aircraft tyres are filled with dry nitrogen because hot brakes can heat a tyre until its liner releases volatile gases, which could react explosively with oxygen. Nitrogen is inert and does not sustain combustion. US rules require it for transport aircraft above 75,000 pounds, with no more than 5 per cent oxygen in the tyre.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>What pressure are airliner tyres inflated to?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">Airliner tyres are typically inflated to around 200 psi, several times the pressure of a car tyre. They are rated for high deflections of 32 to 35 per cent so they can carry very heavy loads on a small, light tyre. Pressure is checked daily, ideally when the tyre is cold.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>What is a fuse plug on an aircraft wheel?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">A thermal fuse plug is a small metal plug in an aircraft wheel that melts at a set temperature after a very hard stop. It lets the hot tyre deflate in a controlled way instead of bursting. In Boeing&rsquo;s 2026 737-10 brake test, temperatures passed 2,500&deg;F and the fuse plugs melted as designed.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>How many times can an aircraft tyre be retreaded?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">Michelin has said it can retread an aircraft tyre up to seven times before the casing is retired. Air Canada says main gear tyres last about 300 to 450 landings per tread. Worn tyres go back to the supplier, the old tread is buffed off and a new tread is bonded to the inspected casing.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>How do carbon brakes on airliners work?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">Carbon brakes use a heat sink of alternating carbon discs, some turning with the wheel and some fixed. Hydraulic pistons squeeze the stack and the aircraft&rsquo;s energy becomes heat. Boeing says carbon brakes save about 700 pounds on a 737 Next-Generation and offer up to twice as many landings per overhaul as steel.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Why do carbon brakes wear more with gentle braking?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">Carbon brake wear depends mainly on the number of brake applications, not the energy absorbed, according to Boeing&rsquo;s AERO magazine. One firm application causes less wear than several light ones. Steel brakes are the opposite, wearing in proportion to energy, so pilots taxi aircraft with carbon brakes using fewer, firmer applications.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>What is a maximum brake energy test?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">A maximum brake energy test proves a new airliner can stop from take-off decision speed at maximum weight with worn-out brakes and no thrust reversers. Boeing&rsquo;s 737-10 stopped from 180 knots in about 11,000 feet in 2026. Crews then wait five minutes, the time a fire crew needs to arrive, before approaching.<\/div><\/details><\/div><\/section>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Why are aircraft tyres filled with nitrogen?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Aircraft tyres are filled with dry nitrogen because hot brakes can heat a tyre until its liner releases volatile gases, which could react explosively with oxygen. Nitrogen is inert and does not sustain combustion. US rules require it for transport aircraft above 75,000 pounds, with no more than 5 per cent oxygen in the tyre.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What pressure are airliner tyres inflated to?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Airliner tyres are typically inflated to around 200 psi, several times the pressure of a car tyre. They are rated for high deflections of 32 to 35 per cent so they can carry very heavy loads on a small, light tyre. Pressure is checked daily, ideally when the tyre is cold.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What is a fuse plug on an aircraft wheel?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"A thermal fuse plug is a small metal plug in an aircraft wheel that melts at a set temperature after a very hard stop. It lets the hot tyre deflate in a controlled way instead of bursting. In Boeing\u2019s 2026 737-10 brake test, temperatures passed 2,500&deg;F and the fuse plugs melted as designed.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How many times can an aircraft tyre be retreaded?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Michelin has said it can retread an aircraft tyre up to seven times before the casing is retired. Air Canada says main gear tyres last about 300 to 450 landings per tread. Worn tyres go back to the supplier, the old tread is buffed off and a new tread is bonded to the inspected casing.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How do carbon brakes on airliners work?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Carbon brakes use a heat sink of alternating carbon discs, some turning with the wheel and some fixed. Hydraulic pistons squeeze the stack and the aircraft\u2019s energy becomes heat. Boeing says carbon brakes save about 700 pounds on a 737 Next-Generation and offer up to twice as many landings per overhaul as steel.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Why do carbon brakes wear more with gentle braking?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Carbon brake wear depends mainly on the number of brake applications, not the energy absorbed, according to Boeing\u2019s AERO magazine. One firm application causes less wear than several light ones. Steel brakes are the opposite, wearing in proportion to energy, so pilots taxi aircraft with carbon brakes using fewer, firmer applications.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What is a maximum brake energy test?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"A maximum brake energy test proves a new airliner can stop from take-off decision speed at maximum weight with worn-out brakes and no thrust reversers. Boeing\u2019s 737-10 stopped from 180 knots in about 11,000 feet in 2026. Crews then wait five minutes, the time a fire crew needs to arrive, before approaching.\"}}]}<\/script><div style=\"background:#f0f4ff;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:16px 20px;margin:32px 0 8px\"><p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-weight:600;color:#333\">Related Posts<\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/landing-gear-wont-retract-what-pilots-do-fuel-dump-overweight-landing\/\">When the Landing Gear Won't Retract: What Pilots Do Next<\/a><\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/aircraft-pushback-explained-towbarless-tug-taxibot-powerback\/\">Aircraft Pushback Explained: Tugs, TaxiBot and Why Jets Don't Reverse<\/a><\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/sepehran-airlines-737-mashhad-burst-tyre-cabin-ceiling-2026\/\">Sepehran Airlines 737: Burst Tyre, Collapsing Ceiling at Mashhad<\/a><\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a 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