Fly Lah!

heheh..hi everybody.

Last year i saw a 330 landed with one of it's tire on RH bogie , GONE!... well it was my 1st time experience watching that 'drama'. well it was so interesting. If i'm not mistaken it was the number 10 tire?? (The outboard aft right hand).

The aircraft landed at Subang and taxi to MAS hangar for a maintenance. (of course without passengers on board)

My question to 'qualified persons' :P and anybody who want to share their ideas:

How airworthy/safe to release an aircraft (in this case or a/c bigger than this), with not enough tires on it's main gears? (i dont know for what reason they did that - maybe the a/c was from KLIA where there was no adequate facilities to accommodate the a/c and a maintenance as well?

We can discuss this topic relating to :

1) the stress impose on the a/c structure during on ground maneuvering and during landing or during flight.
2) the load distribution during touch down.
3) how about the fuel distribution in both wings?
4) the maximum landing weight? it is as simple as calculating the tire rating???
5) how far the a/c can fly?
6) maximum take off weight the a/c can take?
7) speed during take off / landing - can be related to no 6 and 4.
8) can autopilot be used?
9) how about the Certificate Release to Service for this 'operation'.

Plus that the right side of aft axle of RH bogie was rather being 'pulled' a little bit down due to the absence of the no 10 tire.

For answers, figures are acceptable BUT, be logical.

p/s: i dont think the particular tire missing during flight. haha. this discussion is general, for a maintenance, it is necessary to refer to the particular AMM related to the a/c for details. You are free to add some more relating discussion in that list.

First thing first.
Is it possible to release the aircraft without one main tyre?

torx wrote:First thing first.
Is it possible to release the aircraft without one main tyre?

torx i wonder why you rose that question?


it is 'possible'...? ----->> from what point of view?


i think the answer is up there- that's why i bring up this unusual case : to discuss.

mosumo,

If you are a pilot or an LAME, you should be able to answer what was meant by torx.

If you are none of the above, please say so, then torx will probably answer your Qs in a different manner ........


The Unlearned

Exactly! Thank you, drebarbas! :D

-- Sun Feb 28, 2010 2:29 pm --

Maybe I should re-word the question..

Would you, a Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineer, release an aircraft without one main wheel fitted?
And if you are the Pilot/Commander of the flight, would accept such an aircraft?

Now we can discuss proper.

drebarbas wrote:mosumo,

If you are a pilot or a LAME, you should be able to answer what was meant by torx.

If you are none of the above, please say so, then torx will probably answer your Qs in a different manner ........


The Unlearned

thanks torx and drebarbas for the replies.

regarding my post/question, I am none of the persons you've mentioned (LAE or PILOT). I am an observer. then how would the sound of my question would be? I am asking the best i could.

btw being a LAE or a pilot will not guarantee that the person can answer the question of : 'it is possible...?" . this is the tricky part.

Considering what was happened is a fact so it is possible to release the aircraft without one of it's main tire. YES it is possible. Then my question at the first place is..

"How airworthy or how safe to do that?"

* torx, you can answer on behalf of LAE and PILOT.

mosumo,

First of all I don't really admire your english. Should polish that up a bit.

Do you mean a tyre, or a wheel?

Anyway, would you drive a car without 1 of its 4 tyres? I wouldn't, let alone fly an aircraft without one.
And I have never seen or heard of an aircraft being airworthy when a tyre is missing.

mosumo,
There is a difference between a TYRE and a WHEEL

Anyway, until this point of time, I have not come across any aircraft being dispatched/released without one wheel installed under any circumstances. Although there are incidences, infact I clearly remember one whereby the whole inner cylinder of one of the main landing drops off (which includes the brake and wheel assembly) prior landing. Happened in Subang... but thats landing without one landing gear!

Clearly you made the assumption based on your 'observation'.. The tyre could have blow out/ruptured during the landing roll...?
Since you have stressed out that "YES it is possible.", please shed us some light.. I don't see it how.

One the same note, if, I mean a BIG IF an aircraft can be released without one wheel, the low cost airlines might use the opportunity to further 'cut cost'..no specific airline/s is target here..

Torx,

Change the wheel and replace it with a skid bar, just like heli and we could categorised as newly invented 'HANDICAPPED' friendly aircraft ...........

No MEL is required for dispatch, pre-flt check - good condition and well 'greased' - KY or Vaseline are acceptable .....


The Unlearned

drebarbas,
Funny and I like it!