: How do they change the tires off an airplane? Do they have airplane sized car jack to help lift up the plane?

Question

: How do they change the tires off an airplane? Do they have airplane sized car jack to help lift up the plane?

In: Technology

Answer 1

Basically yes. The main wheels (big wheels under the wings) jacks are about the size of one of those pallet jacks you see in warehouses/big shopping outlets except they are a single leg instead of two. The nose wheel(front wheels) jack is about the size as a 3 tonne car jack. It is better made and more powerful but basically the same (a320/737).

Often they are hand pumped just like a car jack but most can take plugged in compressed air to make it easier. To change a wheel you don’t have to lift the whole plane just thet tilt it. There is special jacks to lift the whole plane (eg to test all the wheels retracting) but they are much bigger.