What materials are aircraft wheels primarily made of?

Aircraft wheels are primarily made of aluminum or magnesium alloys to strike a balance between strength, weight, and cost-effectiveness. Aluminum is favored for its lightweight properties, excellent strength-to-weight ratio, and resistance to corrosion, which are crucial factors in aviation where reducing weight plays a significant role in fuel efficiency and overall performance.

Magnesium alloys are also used because they are even lighter than aluminum while maintaining adequate strength for the demanding conditions that aircraft wheels must withstand during takeoff, landing, and taxiing. The combination of these materials allows for optimal performance, ensuring that the wheels can handle high loads and the stresses involved in flight operations.

Using only steel alloys, while strong, would result in significantly heavier wheels, which is not desirable in aviation due to the increased fuel consumption and reduced efficiency that would ensue. Composite materials, while advanced, are not typically utilized for the main structure of aircraft wheels because they may not meet the necessary mechanical properties required for such critical applications.