Well.... had a life-flashing-before-my-eyes moment yesterday. Fortunately the ending was a happy one, but alternative outcomes were certainly possible.......



passing through 24,000 feet over the mountains, the pilots' windshield let go in a spectacular fashion.  Sooper pilot was in the left sear at the time....handled the situation just fine and got the four of us safely on the ground....unfortunately in the wrong city. We finished the trip in the back of a Boeing...under somewhat less comfortable conditions......

Yikes...

So, new underwear? 

Quote from: Onepoint on October 29, 2009, 07:00:49 AM
So, new underwear? 

Maybe pants and some seat upholstery too...

That had to have been a scare few minutes.

wow, and seconds on all of the above too.

Check it out; another shattered windshield!!

Not to worry Nony.  It's probably a double pane window with a layer of vinyl between.  The inner pane is the structural component of the whole thing, if that had let go you might have been in a world of you know what.  We get those all the time on our airplanes.  Usually happens when the window heaters short out or overheat..temp differential does the rest.

It's amazing to me that airplane windows hold up as long as they do with all the abuse they get.  Sorta like tires....

Makes a really cool noise, doesn't it?  

It was the inner glass that let go.....fortunately, the outer layer held. I don't know if it was heat, or pressurization that caused it, but it sure got everyones attention and there were a few anxious moments - at least for the two of us in the back!! They were able to find a spare windshield and are supposed to be bringing the plane back to Edmonton today.......

*EDIT*  i just talked to Mike on the phone, and the windshield only went in this morning..they have to wait 24 hrs for the goop to dry/cure or whatever.... meanwhile, it appears that if you are going to be stranded in a strange city, it's a good thing to be stranded with a millionaire....they are whooping it up on the 18th floor of a 5 star hotel......

Has the crease come out of your underwear yet when you squeezed when that window cracked?

sorry to disappoint you, but no crease....  I was in a rearward facing seat and heard the crack. But, by time I turned around, Mike had already throttled back and was asking ATC for a lower altitude. But there were 8 eyeballs watching it very carefully to make sure it did not get any worse!! (It actually did, once the plane was depressurized, but this was during the flare for landing....)