Science

Avoiding ‘hot’ wheels

Teen designs device that could almost double the life of airplane tires

By Sid Perkins

Tire saver

Phillipe Lothaller, a 17-year-old South African, has invented a device that could save airlines big money by extending the life of tires.

Patrick Thornton, SSP

Nervous air travelers concerned about the risks of aging planes may first worry about how well the wings or engine are holding up. But a plane’s tires suffer a lot of wear and tear too. A new device that attaches to the wheel rims could extend the life of those tires, saving the world’s airlines millions of dollars per day. 

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