Kumho tires get approval for civilian aircraft use

Korea’s Kumho Tire Co. has met safety standards set by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, opening the door for greater production and export, industry and government sources said yesterday.
The company and the Ministry of Construction and Transportation have been working since March 2005 to design, produce and receive international approval for tires used on passenger jets.
The lack of international confirmation of quality has made it hard for the Gwangju-based company to export tires for civilian aircraft. Until now, Kumho has made only tires used on military aircraft.
“This handicap meant jets belonging to our affiliate, Asiana Airlines, had to use imported tires,” a company spokesman said, adding that the U.S. action allows the mass production of airplane tires for both the domestic and foreign markets.
“It can mean great gains in terms of production, sales and profits for the company,” the spokesman added.
The U.S. agency’s approval is also a boost to efforts by Seoul to sign a bilateral air safety agreement with the United States. Such an agreement would allow the use of Korean-made aircraft parts on planes bound for the United States.