Abstract: A carbon-carbon composite or carbon-ceramic composite wheel beam key (22, 44). The carbon-carbon composite wheel beam keys (22, 44) have a density of at least 1.5 g/cc. The carbon-carbon composite wheel beam keys (22, 44) of this invention will also have an internal porosity of 10% or less. An aircraft wheel (23, 46) and beam key (22, 44) assembly including a wheel (23, 46) having an outrigger boss about its rim edge and brackets (33, 66) mounted in its spoke face, and beam keys (22, 44) as described above. To attach the beam keys (22, 44) to the wheel (23, 46), the necks (32, 64) of the beam keys are held by the brackets (33, 66) and bolts (20) or rivets pass through the bores 26, 52) of the beam keys (22, 44). The composite wheel beam keys are manufactured by forming a fibrous preform blank in a shape of a desired wheel beam key and densifying the fibrous preform to produce a carbon-carbon composite in the shape of said wheel beam key.