Cracked Windshield

[StarChecker]

I don't think a cracked windshield is that big of a deal. Especially if it was just one or two layers, which is normally the case. YES, I still would have followed the QRH (O2, and normal descent), but once I got to the lower altitude and everything was OK, I still probably would have continued.

I had the same thing climbing through 11,000 feet...except our QRH says turn off the windshield heats and if only the outer layer is cracked...continue the flight.

We thought better of continuing to climb to 350 and flying for another hour, so we diverted to JFK.

I love reading how woefully inadequate our QRH is....

 

[dash8driver]

Hit the wrong button. Wasn't done typing yet. Doesn't it seem odd they were 250-300 miles away, descended to 12,000 ft, were wearing their O2 masks, and asked for ARFF but didn't declare an emergency until the closest airport was their destination. I would have been down long before that. Any opinions?

it depends on whether it was on the captains side or the FO's side.





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[logolight]

I had the same thing climbing through 11,000 feet...except our QRH says turn off the windshield heats and if only the outer layer is cracked...continue the flight.

We thought better of continuing to climb to 350 and flying for another hour, so we diverted to JFK.

I love reading how woefully inadequate our QRH is....

I kind of wonder how one can actually determine from inside if it's the middle or the outer layer that's cracked.

QRH:

Tap on windscreen. Windscreen pops off.

Yes.
Land at nearest suitable airport

No.
No further action required.


End QRH

 

[wndshr]

Maybe there was no reason for the emergency when they passed those other airports? Then all of a sudden the situation became worse and they decided to declare. I'm right with AviatorTx, never try to say "they should have done this".

the acid test is this: if your wife, daughters and little boy were on that plane with your parents (maybe that isn't a good example LOL) what would you want the pilot to do?

my vote if it were my family in the back??? get them off the plane and get them on a good plane...PERIOD!

with pax onboard: nobody will ever fault you for being too conservative, but i guarantee you and your family will FRY if you choose to be the cowboy!

 

[BigShotXJTdrvr]

I seem to remember a BA BAC 1-11 pilot who was sucked forward out through his windscreen and held on to his life with his fingers. This was back on the 1980's.

It was not caused by the windshield cracking or failing. They used screws that were not the correct size. The screws failed, and the entire windshield blew out of its frame, taking the pilot outside the plane until they landed. The wind in the face wasn't the worst part. The worst part was he almost froze to death hanging outside the plane on the way down.

 

[TCAS]

The cracked windshield is not the problem...

Most aircraft FOM's require you to decend to a lower altitude to remove some of the differential pressure on the cracked window pane. What does become a safety issue then is the increased fuel consumption at the lower altitude and whether or not you'll have enough fuel with reserves to continue on to your destination.

 

[JumpCaptain]

I seem to remember a BA BAC 1-11 pilot who was sucked forward out through his windscreen and held on to his life with his fingers. This was back on the 1980's.

It was back in 1990. Here's the flight attendant's version.

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2005/02/06/1107625054101.html?from=top5

 

[Gorilla]

It was not caused by the windshield cracking or failing. They used screws that were not the correct size. The screws failed, and the entire windshield blew out of its frame, taking the pilot outside the plane until they landed. The wind in the face wasn't the worst part. The worst part was he almost froze to death hanging outside the plane on the way down.

What did they do? Slow the airplane down to near stall and try to drag him back in? More importantly, what was his seniority number relative to the other dude?