Tundra tire

A tundra tire (UK: tundra tyre) is a large low-pressure tire used on light aircraft to allow operations on rough terrain.

A common variant of tundra tire is the bushwheel. These tires include an integral inner tube with the valve manufactured into the side-wall, allowing the tire to operate at very low pressures without risking shearing-off the valve stem and causing a flat tire. Low-pressure tires provide greater cushioning and enable aircraft to land on rough surfaces, unsuitable for normal tires. Bushwheels are a common modification for backcountry aircraft.

History

The tundra-style tire has been independently invented at different times and places. In North America its post-World War II invention is credited to Canadian Welland Phipps, potentially inspired by the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company's pre-World War II development of their own, similar low-pressure "airwheel" as a complete rim and tire set — said to be of the "Musselman" type from U.S. Patent 1,877,360, for its original inventor, Alvin J. Musselman — which was introduced to the American public in the late summer of 1929, and becoming available in the United Kingdom by 1930. It was initially offered by Goodyear in fully inflated diameters up to 46 inches (117 cm).