Michelin develops Concorde tire

LONDON (April 3)—Groupe Michelin has developed a radial aircraft tire designed to be more damage-resistant than existing models. The tire will be tested on an Air France Concorde in the next few weeks. According to the Anglo-French Concorde Working Group—the agency tasked with restoring Concorde´s certificate of airworthiness—Michelin´s new radial tire is designed to produce only small-sized debris if it bursts. Debris from a burst tire is blamed for a fuel tank explosion, which downed an Air France Concorde near Paris in July, killing 113 passengers and crew. Meanwhile, tests are continuing on protective fuel tanks linings, made from aramid-reinforced Kevlar, with flight tests planned on a British Airways Concorde during the next few weeks, the working group said.