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Aircraft Technician killed when Jet Bridge tire explodes at John Wayne Airport

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One person was killed when a large tire being worked on exploded at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana late Tuesday night, officials said. Two airport contractors were working on the 4-foot-tall jet bridge tire about 11:30 p.m. in a workshop near Gate Three when the tire exploded and caused traumatic injuries to one of the workers, airport spokeswoman Deanne Thompson said. A jet bridge is the enclosed, movable connector that extends from an airport terminal gate to an airplane, allowing passengers… (www.msn.com) More...

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Sparkbox
Sparkbox 5
Most likely they were in a hurry and were inflating the tire outside of a protective cage designed to prevent this type of event. I've witnessed this type of explosion before. Not pretty. Next up: OSHA and fines. RIP to the worker.
andyc852
Agree that it should have been in a cage. Generally multi piece rims and it looks like the locking ring may not have been properly secured
yr2012
matt jensen 1
Split rims?
CPsarras
I wonder if the solid-flex/airless tires (not the full solid ones used in specialized applications) would be better for jet bridges, or does it come down to cost again?
sgbelverta
sharon bias 1
John Wayne is an airport that's likely never going to be allowed to expand. Too many noise issues. So improvements are not going to be at the top of anyone's list. That sort of attitude will also filter down to maintenance issues. Too bad the employee may be have gotten caught up in this.
KobeHunte
Kobe Hunte 1
sad... RIP to the worker.. this is a good example not to take risks no matter what happens.
TorstenHoff
Torsten Hoff 1
I'm curious why jet bridges don't use solid tires. That would reduce maintenance, and would have avoided this tragedy.
andyc852
Weight and cost I suspect. We used solid tires on construction machines in scrap metal and solid waste applications. Tires were 4x the cost of conventional. I thought that rebuilt aircraft tires were used on jet bridges?
msongy
msongy 1
Most jet bridges DO use solid tires, so I'm not sure why this one didn't. I'm just curious why a tire "exploded".
shenghaohan
Shenghao Han 1
maybe just because at that scale cost become a major factor. Especially rubber do have a life span and need to be replaced.
racerxx
racerxx 1
andyc852
While I am a significant commentator on this post, I am thinking that this is an isolated incident where somebody did not follow the procedure with fatal and unintended consequences. I cannot think that using solid / airless tires (tyres) would be productive and cost effective.
Do we know if the unfortunate victim was working on the jet bridge, and if he was a certified A&P? If so I doubt he (or she) was working on the jet bridge. I am sad that this happened but believe we need to keep the incedent in context.
msongy
msongy 1
A mechanic doesn't have to be an A & P, to work on jet bridges. Solid tires are more expensive, but the life of the tire is many times over a nitrogen filled tire.

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