Michelin tyres OE on Boeing 777 long-haul models

Beginning in July 2016, Michelin will be the sole source tyre supplier for the main landing gear on the Boeing 777-300ER (Extended Range), 777-200LR (Long Range) and the 777 Cargo final assembly line. This range of long-haul aircraft, which can transport 400 passengers on flights covering distances of up to 7370 nautical miles (13,650 kilometres), will be fitted with Michelin’s new-generation Near Zero Growth (NZG) technology radial tyre, the Air X.

“Michelin is proud to have been selected by Boeing as its official partner on the 777-300ER fleet,” said Frank Moreau, president of Michelin Aircraft Tire Company.

Michelin says its certification on the Boeing 777-300ER is part of a “sustainable partnership strategy” between the two global companies. In April 2015, the tyre maker received a Boeing ‘Supplier of the Year’ award, and Michelin radial tyres are available for a large section of the Boeing line-up, including the 737, 747, 787 and 777, as well as several military aircraft.

The tyres will be manufactured at the Michelin plant in Bourges, France, the company’s global centre for radial technology aircraft tyre production. According to Michelin, aircraft radials with NZG technology are designed to offer a lower total cost of ownership, long tread life and the highest levels of safety. It says the Air X NZG combines three major advantages that led to its certification: Weight savings that in turn reduces fuel consumption; a significant improvement in wear that allows for 15 per cent more landings than achievable standard nylon radial tyres; and elevated reliability, in particular by increasing the resistance to damage caused by foreign objects, resulting in less unscheduled maintenance.