Bombardier has awarded to PPG Industries' aerospace transparencies group a contract to design and manufacture heated glass windshields and side cockpit windows for its Learjet 85 business jet, with deliveries to begin in the first quarter of 2011.
The contract calls for PPG to supply original-equipment flightdeck windows and aftermarket parts for the midsize business jet, which is scheduled to enter service in 2013.
The four windows will wrap around the cockpit to enhance visibility and aerodynamics, with the large windshields formed into complex, compound shapes, says PPG.
The windshields will be designed to resist impact of a 1.8kg (4lb) bird at 300kt (555km/h). PPG's rain-repellent surface seal coating on the windshields eliminate the necessity for windshield wipers on the aircraft, saving weight and reducing aerodynamic drag, the company says.
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Source: Flight Daily News
