The flight crew were baffled when they discovered the unusual square-shaped tyre. Picture: The Aviation Herald
AVIATION experts have been stunned by a photograph showing a square-shaped tyre on a British Airways A380 which touched down at London’s Heathrow Airport.
The deflated wheel was part of the landing gear on the flight arriving from Hong Kong on Friday, according to The Sun.
Officials from the Civil Aviation Authority described the phenomenon as “curious” and a serving pilot admitted he wasn’t sure how it could have occurred.
A spokesman for the Civil Aviation Authority said: “It is a curious one. Not seen anything like it before.”
One serving airline captain said the tire probably detached from the wheel on landing when the brakes were applied, but stressed that the aircraft was never in danger.
He added: “The tyres are pressurised to around seven times that of a car tire. Once depressurised the tyre will have ‘flatted’ while the (aircraft) was braking and once it did so it would then rotate through 90 degrees to another part of the tyre and then do it again — hence the four flats you see.
It’s believed the tyre deflated on landing. Picture: AFP (file)Source:AFP
“Is it dangerous? No. To lose one is no big deal.”
The Royal Aeronautical Society has not yet found anyone within its ranks who can explain the picture fully.
Before the plane left Hong Kong the captain of the Airbus A380-800 received a loss of tyre pressure warning on takeoff, but the crew made the decision to continue the flight.
Staff then reportedly contacted ahead to London to request a tow tug in case the aircraft could not taxi to the gate under its own power.
The crew were left completely puzzled moments later when an inspection revealed the right outboard body tyre was deflated into a square shape, rather than just at the bottom, as would be normal.
Experts say the plane was never in danger. Picture: AFP (file)Source:AFP
Cockpit Confidential author Patrick Smith said: “The photo appears genuine, but I’m unsure how such a thing would happen, exactly.
“The tyre deflated and the subsequent rotation caused it to fold in on itself in four symmetrical segments.”
A spokeswoman for British Airways said: “Our flight landed normally last Friday with one of its 18 tyres deflated.
“The A380, in common with other large commercial aircraft, is designed to be perfectly safe when landing with a deflated tire.
“Our engineers quickly changed the tire and the aircraft went back into service.”
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