Luchtzak From Belgium, joined Dec 2001, 468 posts, RR: 9 Posted (11 years 1 month 2 weeks 3 days 15 hours ago) and read 1815 times:
Today (Sunday 7/4/2002) I was on an easy flight back towards Brussels.
Suddenly the left window cracked, no worries, since that window contains several layers. (for the non-specialists)
This is normally due to overheating of the heating-elements on that window or due to a drop of water finding it's way trough the window and then freezes during flight if the heating elements don't fuction at all.
We had allready started our descent towards Brussels, anyway Captain decided to reduce speed (which sounded like a good idea ) Not that it endangered our flight but precautionary actions are sometimes better than taking no actions at all.
I want to share these photos with everybody who is interested because sometimes things like this can happen.
AirDD From United States of America, joined Oct 2001, 375 posts, RR: 1 Reply 4, posted (11 years 1 month 2 weeks 3 days 15 hours ago) and read 1478 times:
Redngold From United States of America, joined Mar 2000, 6907 posts, RR: 51 Reply 6, posted (11 years 1 month 2 weeks 3 days 11 hours ago) and read 1370 times:
OK, even if I trusted the window, the sudden shattering and probably very audible crack like a gunshot probably would have scared the s*** out of me. This is why I am not a pilot or flight attendant.
737doctor From United States of America, joined Mar 2001, 1332 posts, RR: 48 Reply 7, posted (11 years 1 month 2 weeks 3 days 11 hours ago) and read 1346 times:
For those of you that are freaked out by this, it's pretty common. I've had to replace many cockpit windows in my time...
242 From United States of America, joined Oct 2000, 498 posts, RR: 1 Reply 9, posted (11 years 1 month 2 weeks 3 days 7 hours ago) and read 1239 times:
For those of you that are freaked out by this, it's pretty common. I've had to replace many cockpit windows in my time...
Yes, I've changed quite a few myself, not really that big of a deal. Those windows only can take so many heating cycles before they begin to arc, and shortly afterwards the outer layer of tempered glass spiderwebs.
Apuneger From Belgium, joined Sep 2000, 3026 posts, RR: 13 Reply 10, posted (11 years 1 month 2 weeks 3 days ago) and read 1157 times:
So it seems that was an interesting flight...
by the way, did anybody of the passengers get a chance to see the cracks in the window? I wonder how some ignorant passengers would react, when they saw this...nex tmorning, you'd probably get headlines like 'aircraft almost crashed' or 'seconds from crash' or so
Apuneger From Belgium, joined Sep 2000, 3026 posts, RR: 13 Reply 16, posted (11 years 1 month 2 weeks 2 days 14 hours ago) and read 958 times:
It sure would be a nice test to see how good you can perform low-visibility approaches
"Euh, Brussels approach, good afternoon. although ATIS Echo mentioned good visibility and no clouds, it seems we are experiencing some problems. Some strange clouds seem to 'fly' ahead of us, and are bothering the visibility out of our left windshield."
Oh boy, life is funny...(I just survived another trip to the dentist, you see )
242 From United States of America, joined Oct 2000, 498 posts, RR: 1 Reply 17, posted (11 years 1 month 2 weeks 2 days 7 hours ago) and read 911 times:
So if this happens during a TransAtlantlic flight. Would the flight be diverted or do those windows keep up for some few 1000 miles?
The outer layer of tempered glass accounts for less than 25% of the windshields thickness, so it's not really an emergency situation. A diversion, if agreed on by the captain, maintenance control and dispatch, would probably be due to icing conditions, since the heat to the affected window would be inop.
Cmk10 From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 513 posts, RR: 4 Reply 21, posted (11 years 1 month 1 week 5 days 12 hours ago) and read 758 times:
I was once wating at Kilamanjaro, Tanzania Airport (KIL) and the KLM flight was delayed over 6 hours out of Amsterdam because the cockpit window shattered.
DC-10's Forever
"Traveling light is the only way to fly" - Eric Clapton
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) Not that it endangered our flight but precautionary actions are sometimes better than taking no actions at all.
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