Largest observation wheel using Continental tyres

Continental tyres have long been used in the operation of the London Eye, thus the brand’s products were perhaps an obvious choice for the world’s largest observation wheel. Dubai Holding has selected Continental tyres for the 250-metre-tall Ain Dubai, located on Bluewaters Island.

The tyre of choice is the TerminalMaster. Continental shares that Dubai Holding gave these tyres the nod once convinced of their quality and reliability. Turning with the help of hydraulic motors, the wheel’s 64 tyres serve as friction rollers in the drive systems at either end of the boarding platform. This keeps Ain Dubai turning on its slow and steady rotation, giving its guests unparalleled 360-degree views of the emirate.

Designed and developed to withstand the extremely harsh conditions, huge payloads and long service life required in its prime application of port container terminals, Continental considers the 310/80R22.5 TerminalMaster to be the “perfect fit for this interesting niche application” as well. Produced in Continental’s production facility in Otrokovice, Czech Republic, this heavy-duty tubeless tyre features an extra-deep tread profile and industrial-strength casing to provide greater resistance against damage and punctures than standard tyres.

“The reinforced bead construction, special wear-resistant compound and excellent traction interact seamlessly with the observation wheel’s drive system,” shares Continental. “These qualities all combine to produce an incredibly long-serving, high-performance product, perfect for the hours of operation and high levels of safety required for the operation of Ain Dubai.”

Digital monitoring provides real-time feedback

To further optimise the tyres’ performance, ContiConnect and ContiPressureCheck digitally monitors each one, providing continuous feedback on their condition and advance notification if corrective tyre-related actions are needed. Information is displayed on a web portal or app, which in addition to constant monitoring can deliver reports and analytics. “This intelligent technology means each tyre runs at optimum pressure and gives maximum uptime, which also equates to supreme safety, not to mention energy efficiency and the longest possible lifespan,” comments Continental.

Size is relative

Measuring 1.07 metres in diameter and weighing 71.2 kilogrammes, the TerminalMaster looks huge alongside a typical passenger car tyre – but Ain Dubai pulls out all stops when it comes to superlatives. In addition to towering a quarter of a kilometre in the air, the giant wheel contains 11,200 tonnes of steel and 2,400 kilometres of cable. It can carry up to 1,750 visitors across 48 spacious cabins.