Ground Support

Aircraft Tyre deflation

Safety is always the prime requirement and with aircraft tyre deflation there are two main risk areas.

Firstly the causing of embolisms and embedding of debris into the skin carried by escaping high pressure gas, and secondly the subsequent possible damage by the valve being carried away by the exhausting gas and becoming fodder if not found.

Solution: Both problems have been overcome. The exhaust route has been directed away from the operator and secondly the removed valve is retained within the deflator body until the deflator is removed from the valve.

Now that dry nitrogen has replaced air as the inflation medium, ice formation is also no longer a hazard.

Hanley Smith - Solving aircraft maintenance issues.