Dunlop tyres for Fairchild-Dornier 328 turboprop

Citation

(1998), "Dunlop tyres for Fairchild-Dornier 328 turboprop", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 70 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.1998.12770dab.029

Dunlop tyres for Fairchild-Dornier 328 turboprop

Dunlop tyres for Fairchild-Dornier 328 turboprop

Keywords Aircraft, Dunlop, Tyres

Dunlop Aircraft Tyres has been approved to supply re-treadable mainwheel tyres for the Fairchild-Dornier DO328 turboprop.

The DO328 is 30/33 seat regional transport aircraft powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW119B turboprops. It has a tricycle type undercarriage manufactured by Messier Dowty, carrying twin wheels on each unit.

The Dunlop tyre has been approved by Dornier for up to four retreads on the DO328. The ability of the Dunlop tyre to support multiple retreads is an important advantage for operators since any commuter aircraft submits its tyres to a disproportionate number of landings and therefore greater wear in comparison with longer haul flights.

Dunlop Aircraft Tyres are also now manufacturing tyres and tubes for the Eurocopter Alouette and Dauphin helicopters (Plate 9).

There has been urgent demand for a new source of tyres following the withdrawal from aircraft tyre manufacturing by Dunlop France (SPAX), a subsidiary of Sumitomo Rubber Industries of Japan. As a result, Dunlop Aircraft Tyres Limited purchased the SPAX tooling and rights to the Dunlop brand name in France and related markets, enabling it to supply these tyres direct from the UK.

In addition to the Alouette and Dauphin, Dunlop Aircraft Tyres is already manufacturing tyres for the Mirage I and II fighters, Alphajet and the Fouga CM 170 trainer and its variants. Tyres for other aircraft types, both civil and military, previously supplied from France will shortly become available.

Plate 9 The Alouette III is one of several helicopters for which Dunlop Aircraft Tyres is now making tyres and tubes