The world of commercial aviation is a heavily safety-driven industry, and companies invest significant amounts of money in developing aircraft components with this priority in mind. Aircraft tires are no exception to this rule, and they must be heavily reinforced to bear an aircraft's weight. The time and money that goes into developing safer tires is reflected in their prices, but how much do they cost?
An expensive industry
Airliners feature components that, in principle, seem like everyday objects. Indeed, we use things like doors and toilets frequently as we go about our day. However, in the context of commercial aviation, these seemingly everyday objects have been developed extensively to mitigate against anything that could threaten the safety of an aircraft and its occupants. As such, they are considerably more expensive.
Many of us enjoy sipping on a cup of tea or coffee in the skies, and are happy to part with a few dollars for the privilege. However, as Simple Flying explored last year, onboard coffee machines can cost as much as $20,000!
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The rule of high costs reflecting extensive safety development applies not only on an individual level to a plane's various components, but also to the aircraft as a whole. Indeed, today's highly-advanced jetliners have list prices of hundreds of millions of dollars. But where do tires come into this? Let's take a look at the market.
Buying in bulk
As you might expect, aircraft tires are certainly more expensive than those found on our cars. However, the gulf between them is perhaps not as large as you may have imagined. Indeed, AeroSavvy notes that "retail tire prices range from a few hundred dollars for regional aircraft to as much as $5000 for a widebody main tire."
The Points Guy quotes a slightly different pricing spectrum, although it is still in a similar ballpark. For example, the publication notes that a Boeing 737's four main tires cost $1,500 each. However, Boeing 777s are somewhat more expensive to equip in this regard, with each of the widebody's 12 main tires costing $6,000.
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Of course, the phrase retail tire prices has a certain implication. Specifically, much like when purchasing aircraft, companies tend to have a bit of space to negotiate. This is particularly important when placing lucrative bulk orders.
These prices are perhaps not as eye-watering as the aforementioned $20,000 coffee machines. However, we should remember that an airliner will generally require more tires than hot drinks dispensers. As such, the total cost of tires quickly adds up over the course of an aircraft, and, indeed, even quicker across an entire fleet.
For example, at $5,000 each, the 12 tires on an Airbus A340, including its famous middle landing gear, would command a total price of $60,000. As Simple Flying explored last year, the aircraft with the most tires in recent times was the colossal Antonov An-225. Before this aircraft's sad demise following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the mammoth six-engine jet was known for having a whopping 32 tires.
Saving money on replacement
Despite the potential for an airline's tire bill to quickly skyrocket, there are ways in which money can be saved on these components. According to tire manufacturer Dunlop, each of a Boeing 747's 18 tires can be re-treaded up to seven times.
This represents a significantly cheaper solution to tire wear than replacing them. Furthermore, HighSkyFlying reports that manufacturers, rather than airlines, generally cover the cost of re-treading. With tire disintegration having led to deadly accidents in the past, it is understandable that companies pay high sums to ensure that they receive a product that offers those onboard a safe ride.
How much would you have guessed that aircraft tires cost? Which aircraft that you have flown on has had the most tires? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments!
Sources: AeroSavvy, Dunlop, HighSkyFlying, The Points Guy