I used to watch a lot of airplane landings and take-off. My favourite moment is when airplane tyres touch the ground. Friction produces a lot of heat and hence, smoke.
But i wonder, why not pilot start rotating wheels before landing and match the speed of wheels such that it doesn’t cause any friction.
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they want friction because it helps reduce speed and eventually stop the airplane completely, which is the #1 concern during landing.
Replacing tires periodically is a lot more acceptable to the industry than dealing with planes that run out of runway and crash.
Also, as others said, there is no way to spin the wheels. Airplane wheels have brakes, but no motor. When moving on the ground, they use the power of the engines. This is why airplanes cannot go backwards, and airports have special tug vehicles to move airplanes.
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