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Air Force One had tyres go flat in Vietnam landing

BOGOR, Indonesia, Nov 20 (UNI)

Air Force One had six tyres go flat on landing in Ho Chi Minh City on Sunday night due to a malfunction of the aircraft’s automatic braking system, White House officials said on Monday.

The problem forced the 747s mechanics to scramble to find replacement tyres, nearly forcing U.S. President George W. Bush to fly to Indonesia in a back-up aircraft.

Officials said a malfunction in the aircraft’s automatic braking system generated sufficient heat to activate a safety feature that blows out tyre valves.

The feature is designed to avoid a full tyre blowout. Six tyres lost their valves, resulting in six flat tyres.

Bush wrapped up a week-long tour of Asia with a stop in Indonesia on Monday, having flown there on board Air Force One from Ho Chi Minh City.

The US also unusually moved a spy satellite in space to position over Vietnam to maintain cover for the President. Images from the satellite on the situation to the President and Air Force One were live fed to Pentagon. Pentagon was in close touch with the U.S. base in the Phillipines.