FEASIBILITY OF AN IN-FLIGHT TIRE INFLATION/DEFLATION SYSTEM

AIRCRAFT TYPICALLY USE PNEUMATIC TIRE EQUIPPED LANDING GEAR. MORE AIRCRAFT ARE BEING TASKED TO BE CAPABLE OF OPERATING TO AND FROM PAVED AND ROUGH/SOFT FIELDS OR RUNWAYS TO SUPPORT GROUND OPERATIONS. ADJUSTING TIRE PRESSURE FOR OPTIMAL TIRE/SOIL INTERACTION WILL BE NECESSARY TO ACCOMPLISH THIS GOAL. THIS PROPOSAL PRESENTS A RELIABLE SYSTEM FOR ADJUSTING TIRE PRESSURE WHILE IN FLIGHT. AIR WILL BE PROVIDED BY A SYSTEM EXTERNAL TO THE TIRE AND TRANSPORTED THROUGH A ROTARY JOINT TO THE TIRE. THE CIRITICAL ELEMENT OF THE SYSTEM IS A SWIVEL/VALVE WHICH ALLOWS THE TIRE TO BE INFLATED OR DEFLATED WHEN ACTIVATED, BUT ISOLATES THE TIRE PRESSURE FROM THE ROTARY SEAL WHEN NOT ACTIVATED. A MAJOR OBJECTIVE IS TO DESIGN, FABRICATE, AND TEST A SWIVEL/VALVE TO VERIFY THE FEASIBILITY OF ITS USE IN AN INFLATION/DEFLATION SYSTEM.