Measurement of Steady State and Transient Aircraft Tire Forces

Studies of aircraft directional control during takeoff and landing are best carried out with programmed simulators in which the pilot interacts directly with the aircraft systems. A vital input to such simulations is accurate tire force data, which at the present time are difficult to obtain because of lack of experimental facilities. This paper describes new test equipment for measuring aircraft tire forces which is now available at the Air Force Flight Dynamics Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Sample data are presented and discussed which pertain to conventional and experimental radial ply aircraft tires.