Bridgestone, Airbus ink aircraft tire contract

TOKYO (June 3) — Bridgestone Corp. has gained its first ever tire deal with Airbus S.A.S., a contract to supply tires for the nose and main landing gear of the new A380 "super jumbo" from late 2005. The tires for the 555-passenger A380 will feature a specially developed belt structure, containing "ultrahigh-strength" cord. The construction offers high resistance to external damage, weight savings and extended service life, Bridgestone said. The new tires will have to support a fully loaded A380 weighing more than 560 metric tons and running at speeds of up to 230 mph during takeoffs and landings. Bridgestone said its 34-percent share of the global market for tires for large and medium-sized airliners helped it secure the A380 contract, according to Hideki Inose, vice president and officer, aircraft tire sales.