Two Sizes of New and Improved Tire Hit the Market

By Maria Morrison

Michelin has added a new aviation tire to the market that is, according to head of Michelin General Aviation Robert Sevener, “the best tire you can buy for propeller-driven aircraft.”

The Michelin Pilot has all-weather protection, an extra-long tire life, and is made from an ozone-resistant compound. Compared to the Goodyear Flight Custom III, the Pilot has more belt plies in the crown to reduce FOD, a 21% deeper skid, and wider grooves. In fact, the void of the two-grooved tire is greater than in Michelin’s former four-grooved model. The Pilot also has an optimized mold to track better on runways and taxiways, as well as wear more evenly. Sevener also says that the Pilot will have “very competitive pricing.”

Michelin has a long history with general aviation. The “Michelin Cup” was awarded in 1908 to whomever could double the distance of the longest recorded flight at the time; the winner, Wilbur Wright, managed to travel 77 miles. Andre continued to host competitions, testing distance, height, and speed of new aircraft. The Michelin company constructed the first concrete runway, produced over 2000 aircraft in WWI, and achieved many “firsts” in tire production for commercial and business aviation.

The new Michelin Pilot is currently produced in two sizes, the 15x6.00-6 6/160 and the 5.00-5 6/160. These have already been approved for Cirrus aircraft and are on the market. Three more sizes, for the Beechcraft Bonanza and King Air, will be available later in the year, and the sixth size is set to be distributed in early 2019. Sevener also says that Michelin is looking at the potential of a four-inch tire, but only after the first six sizes are all available.

FMI: https://aircraft.michelin.com