Michelin Aircraft Tire has announced that the first flight of the new Airbus A350-900 aircraft was completed with its Radial NZG Technology tyres.
Airbus has delivered the first A350 XWB to its launch operator Qatar Airways equipped with Michelin AIR X tyres with Radial NZG Technology.
The Xtra Wide Body commercial jet made primarily of composite materials achieved its first ferry flight from Toulouse (France) to Doha (Qatar) on 22th December 2014. The aircraft has already proved a tremendous success with hundreds of orders from leading global airlines.
Almost 70% of the A350 XWB is made from lighter-weight advanced materials, including composites (53%), titanium and new generation aluminium alloys. These are primarily built into the aircraft’s main structural components such as the wings and fuselage. In this way, composite and carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) materials serve to reduce weight and thereby lower fuel consumption by 25% as well as reducing the maintenance cost of the aircraft.
Michelin introduced the world’s first radial aircraft tyre in 1981. The Radial NZG Technology has enabled Michelin to offer a new line of better performing, lower weight aircraft tyres.
Compared to an equivalent radial nylon tyre, the new Radial NZG Technology tyre is lighter, delivers up to 30% more landings, improves Foreign Objects Damage resistance leading to a reduction in unscheduled maintenance and increases the tyre load carrying capacity.
In effect, eight Radial NZG Technology tyres can carry the same load as nine standard radial tyres. This leads to improved business efficiency for airlines and private operators flying the A350 XWB.