Messier-Bugatti will begin delivering wheels and carbon brakes for the retrofit programme on 89 USAF Boeing C-17 Globemaster aircraft later this year.
The US Air Mobility Command now deploys 16 of the aircraft fitted with the European firm's equipment. Messier-Bugatti won the contract for single source supply of wheels and brakes covering 135 aircraft - 46 under construction and 89 aircraft already in service.
The brakes are the firm's SepCarb III OR (oxidation resistant) products. According to the firm the technical specifications were particularly demanding as the aircraft must be able to land on any type of runway, fully-loaded, at a speed of more than 270km/h (170mph).
SpecificationsIn addition, the products had to be designed to meet new specifications, providing for increased maximum take-off weight that meant the aircraft can now fly from the United States across the Pacific or the Atlantic without in-flight refuelling.
Each shipset comprises two nose wheels, 12 wheels and 12 brakes each with five rotors and five stators. In the event of a rejected take-off, each brake is capable of absorbing 88 megajoules of energy.
Source: Flight Daily News
