Commercial aircraft maintenance crews inflate landing gear tires with dry nitrogen gas rather than compressed ambient air. Unlike ambient air, which naturally contains humidity, pure nitrogen is completely moisture-free. At cruising altitudes exceeding 30,000 feet, external atmospheric temperatures routinely drop below minus forty degrees Fahrenheit, which causes any water vapor inside an enclosed tire to freeze into solid ice crystals, throwing off wheel balance and damaging inner rubber liners during high-speed landings.
Based on the passage, what is implied about using compressed ambient air to inflate high-altitude aircraft tires?
- It can lead to tire failure during landing because moisture inside the tire freezes at high altitudes.Answer
- BIt naturally lubricates the inner rubber liners of the tire through ambient humidity.
- CIt prevents aircraft tires from maintaining adequate pressure during low-altitude taxiing.
- DIt cools landing gear wheels more efficiently than pure nitrogen at minus forty degrees.
Answer
It can lead to tire failure during landing because moisture inside the tire freezes at high altitudes.
The passage states that ambient air contains humidity, which freezes into ice crystals at high-altitude cruising temperatures, damaging liners and unbalancing wheels during landing. Therefore, it is directly implied that inflating tires with ambient air introduces moisture that poses a mechanical risk during flight and landing.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Identifying Implied Meanings
Estimated Time:45s