AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - September 2024 - 90

RUDDER & WRENCH
what Bushwheels accomplish. I consider
Alaskan Bushwheels the golden ticket to
the backcountry, " Bushman said. " When
I buy equipment, safety and performance
are paramount, and Bushwheels
deliver both. In terms of safety, larger
wheels provide added insurance against
unseen ground hazards. For performance,
my aircraft achieve a steeper angle of
attack, enabling shorter takeoffs and
landings. The substantial shock-absorbing
capability of these tires cushions
rough operations. If I could make only
one modification to an aircraft for backcountry
operations, it would be Alaskan
Bushwheels. "
The tundra tires are sealed and tubeless,
allowing for safe operation at a
low PSI and smoother, more forgiving
landings. The integrated tube prevents inthe-field
failures resulting from side hits
that are common with other tubeless but
non-integrated big tires, according to the
company. The large airbag-like tires absorb
the impact from obstacles, like rocks and
gravel, and increase ground clearance, protecting
aircraft propellers from damage.
Layers of rubber
Alaskan Bushwheels come in a variety of
sizes and weights supporting everything
from light sport aircraft to heavy bush
airplanes, flying just about anywhere off
airport (landing on paved surfaces contributes
to a shorter tire lifespan; there is no
discernable tread). They range in size from
26 inches to 35 inches and are designed to
fit on six-inch wheels. The most popular
size is the 31-inch tire. What is referred
to as a " baby Bushwheel " is the 11-inch
by 5-inch by 4-inch tailwheel tire, which
some backcountry pilots believe is more
important than the large front tires.
Many refer to Bushwheel tires as
doughnuts, marshmallows, or inner
tubes. And some describe the absorption
of energy they provide as " landing on a
cloud. " They are completely handmade,
and each tire takes about 12 man-hours to
complete. The raw materials are brought
into Alaska to one of the three Alaska
Gear Co. facilities in Palmer, Anchorage,
and Fairbanks. The rubber granules are
melted down into sheets of rubber, which
are painstakingly layered upon layer, to
90
AOPA PILOT / September 2024
It's a playground of goodies for the aviator
and adventurer; Alaska Gear produces and
sells a lot more than tires and airframes.
It takes about 12 production hours to
construct an Alaskan Bushwheel. A " baby "
Bushwheel sits atop a 35-inch tire.
a tune of hundreds of layers in the construction
of the big 35s. This is referred
to as " ply layering. "
Every tire is built on an airbag made
of cut rubber parts, according to Chris
Minsch, manager for Alaskan Bushwheels.
" These parts, as we call them, are cut on
our CNC rubber-cutting machine. When
an airbag is cooked, it is checked for leaks
through our quality control process and
passed on to a tire builder. "
Minsch describes the steps to building
the most popular 31-inch tire:
Once a tire builder receives an airbag,
he/she will inflate it and proceed
to clean the core with solvent. After
cleaning and drying the tire, the builder
will apply glue to the core of the airbag.
The tire will then be placed on a mandrel
and multiple sheets of nylon corded
rubber are applied. Bead sidewalls, additional
assemblies, and tread are added.
Dimensions are then rechecked, and a
Kevlar breaker ply is installed over the
second body ply. Finally, the tire is ready
to be glued, dusted with buffing dust, and
cooked in a tire press.
After a tire is cooked at a specific pressure
for a particular amount of time, it is
pulled from the tire press and passed on to
a tire finisher. The finishing process consists
of trimming the tire, checking it for
any surface defects, ensuring it is within
company balancing standards, and checking
the tire for any leaks in a dunk tank.
AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - September 2024

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