Why is nitrogen used for aircraft tires?

Question

Why is nitrogen used for aircraft tires?

Answer 1

#More consistent tire pressure.

#Reduced wheel corrosion.

#Prevents inner-liner rubber deterioration due to oxidation.

#Tires run cooler.

#Increases tread life.

#Helps prevent uneven wear .

Answer 2

Reduces oxidation damage to the tires from heat.

Answer 3

Pretty much every answer is partially correct, but they left out one important fact. The primary reason Nitrogen is used is because the FAA came out with an Airworthiness Directective (AD) which said that all tires on braked wheels must be serviced with dry nitrogen. This cuts down greatly on the possibility of a brake fire being fed by a tire with normal air. The airlines find it much easier to use nitrogen on all tires instead of specifying braked on non braked tires.

The tires used to be serviced with just compressed air until the FAA came out with this directive.

Answer 4

MAIN REASON IS THAT NITROGEN HAS A VERY LOW COEFF OF EXPANSION..........WHEN THE A/C LANDS THE TYRES HEAT UP ......BUT NITROGEN OING TO  ITS LOW COEFF OF EXPANSION DOESNOT EXPAND GREATLY ......WHICH IN TURN PREVENTS THE TYRES FROM EXPLODING

Answer 5

Cuz it's dry. Won't form ice crystals at altitude like compressed air will.

Answer 6

all of the above

Answer 7

Auto tires too.  Nitrogen will not expand or contract under severe conditions and temperature changes.  Also, Nitrogen is less able to seep from the rubber compounding like oxygen.

Answer 8

Nitrogen is an inert gas, hence there is no fire hazard.

Answer 9

nitrogen is used because air is moist and would freeze at high altitudes which on an average is -71 degrees Fahrenheit. Nitrogen would not form a liquid till -173 degrees Celsius.

Answer 10

The primary reason is that it is an inert gas, and therefore not an oxidizer.  Does not promote corrosion of wheels and other metal parts, or oxidation of rubber products.

Compared to air, nitrogen does not put as much expansion pressure on tires as altitude increases.

In addition, it does not leak as air does, distributes heat more evenly, does not admit moisture that might freeze under cold conditions, and has other advantages.

Answer 11

All of the above, plus, the molecule is larger than oxygen so it does not leak as readily. It is just a better application all around.

Answer 12

its inert and if oxygen was used in a/c tires, they would explode upon landing because oxygen within rubber is not designed to land on a surface at 150mph

Answer 13

it does not collect moisture which freezes at altitude.

Answer 14

It is used so that it does not freeze when the plane is in the air. The landing gear section of the aircraft is not pressurized therefore they use nitrogen or else any other gas used will freeze.