Volume 2, Issue 1
June 2005

• FAA Recommends Daily Pressure Checks
• Goodyear Flies High with Cirrus
• Aviation Wins Five Year Contract with Ryanair
• Goodyear Salutes Defenders of Freedom Air Show

When the FAA wants something done they often document their requirements and guidelines in FARs (Federal Airworthiness Regulation), ACs (Advisory Circular), or in ADs (Airworthiness Directive). For years, tire care and related servicing and operation were not covered by significant aviation authority regulations. That changed in the last month with the release of AC 20-97B.

With AC 20-97B, the FAA provides care and maintenance guidelines that help ensure the safety of support personnel and the continued airworthiness of aircraft. Specifically, the AC provides guidance on the installation, inflation, maintenance, and removal of aircraft tires. The AC also provides guidance on operational practices necessary to maintain safe aircraft operations (including guidelines on how often runways should be cleared and inspected for foreign object debris).

By following AC 20-97B guidelines, the benefits will be increased safety, increased number of landings, increased retreadability, and a reduced number of tire changes of retreadable tires. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.

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Special attention to quality and on-time delivery has earned Goodyear a “Certificate of Achievement” from Cirrus Design Corporation, in recognition of aviation tires produced at North American Tire’s Danville, Virginia, plant.

“Goodyear Tire has ended the year 2004 with a 100 percent Supplier Rating score, which is significant when one thinks the difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra given in contributing to our success," Ron Gansier, vice president of product assurance for Cirrus, wrote in a letter to Bill Rathbun, manager-North America for Goodyear’s aviation tires business.

Cirrus manufactures and markets composite personal aviation aircraft. Goodyear is the exclusive supplier of tires for the two models of aircraft built by Cirrus.

"Cirrus is a young company, and we’re proud to have been its exclusive tire supplier from the beginning," said Rathbun. "We look forward to growing our relationship with them as they continue to grow."

Cirrus is the world's second-largest manufacturer of single-engine, piston-powered aircraft, and the SR22 is the industry's best selling model. According to Dick Delagrange, Goodyear area sales manager for Aviation who handles the Cirrus account, the company sold 574 airplanes last year and is on track to produce more than 600 this year. "We’re very pleased to have received this award from Cirrus for the second year in a row," said Delagrange.

"Not often enough do we make time to congratulate our Supply Chain partners and recognize them for their support of our Quality and Supply Chain initiatives," Gansier added. "Quality products and services evolve from quality work environments where management commitment starts at the top and is reflective of the work being performed by all in the company."

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Goodyear Aviation won a major five year contract to supply tires and tire maintenance to Ryanair, Europe’s largest low cost airline. The contract with Ryanair began on January 1 with an option for a further five years. The contract includes the delivery of new tires and the repair and overhaul of aviation tires which supply the current fleet of 66 Boeing 737-800s and the 96 firm aircraft orders and up to 123 options to be delivered up to 2009.

Commenting on the Goodyear Aviation agreement, Michael Hickey, Ryanair's Director of Engineering said:

“We are delighted to have entered into this exclusive initial 5 year agreement with Goodyear for the provision of aviation tires for our fleet of Boeing 737-800 aircraft. Goodyear Aviation tires is an accepted world class provider of aviation tires and tire services and we have secured an efficient long term low cost agreement for a quality product which will enable us to support our existing and growing Boeing 737-800 fleet”.

Willem Luuk Nijdam, Director of Goodyear Nederland B.V. said:

“We look forward to a long term relationship with Ryanair. Goodyear is an acknowledged and world-wide leader in the provision of new and retreaded tires, and we were able to successfully secure the business by highlighting our extensive record of quality service at competitive prices. We have worked closely with Ryanair to meet their requirements to ensure this program meets the highest international standards of quality and safety.”

Don Roulett, Goodyear Aviation’s Global Marketing Manager, said:

“This agreement is consistent with what other major Boeing 737-700/800 operators already know about the value that Goodyear delivers, landing after landing. Major airlines in the USA such as Southwest, Delta, and American operate all their Boeing 737s with Goodyear Aviation tires.”

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Goodyear Aviation was invited to participate in the “Defenders of Freedom” Air Show featuring the Corsair Homecoming last June at the Akron Fulton Airport. The Corsair Homecoming featured the FG-1D and F-2G Corsairs built in Akron by Goodyear during World War II. The FG-1D Corsair was introduced in 1940, and production of the Akron Goodyear-built Corsairs continued from 1941 –1945. In 1939, two years before Pearl Harbor, 60 people worked at the Goodyear airdock. Four years later, with new buildings erected, Goodyear aircraft’s employment ultimately reached about 40,000. This was one of the proudest and most distinctive periods in Akron with Goodyear building approximately 4,000 FG-1D planes for the Navy and Marines.

The Corsair, a lightweight, single pilot plane had the biggest and most powerful engine and the largest propeller of any fighter in history. The most unusual feature of the Corsair was that its wings folded, allowing it to be packed lightly into aircraft carriers. Goodyear will support the air show sponsored by the Military Aviation Preservation Society (MAPS) and the City of Akron again this year June 18-19 at the Akron Fulton Airport.

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