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VISUAL INSPECTION GUIDE
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FOR AGING AIRCRAFT WINDSHIELDS

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This booklet is intended for use as a general information guide only. It does not replace
or supersede the allowable defect limits provided by the OEM in either the AMM, CMM

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or ACMM.

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Bringing innovation to the surface is a trademark and
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Clarity, Herculite and the PPG Logo are registered
trademarks of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.
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This booklet was produced by PPG Industries, Inc.,

Product Support, 1719 US Highway 72 East,
Huntsville, Alabama 35811 USA.

The information contained in this booklet is copyrighted

by PPG Industries and may not be reproduced in whole
or in part without written permission.

Copyright © 2015 PPG Industries, Inc., all rights reserved.

Table of Contents
Page No.
General Cleaning Procedure for Glass and Plastic..................................................................2
Serial Number Decoding..........................................................................................................3

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Typical Aircraft Windshield Cross Sections...............................................................................4

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Heating System Major Components.........................................................................................6
Typical Aging-Windshield Failure Sequence.............................................................................7

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Moisture Seal Degradation.......................................................................................................8
Moisture Ingress.....................................................................................................................10

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Delamination...........................................................................................................................12
Interlayer Degradation............................................................................................................14
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Bus Bar Discoloration.............................................................................................................16
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Heating System Failure..........................................................................................................18
Interlayer Bubbling..................................................................................................................20
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Glass Fracture........................................................................................................................22
Glass Surface Scratch............................................................................................................26
Acrylic and Polycarbonate Surface Scratches and Crazing...................................................28
Technical Support Contacts....................................................................................................31

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 General Cleaning Procedure for Glass and Plastic*

Recommended Cleaning Materials and Agents:

Note: Equivalent or approved substitutes may be used for items listed.

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— 50/50 solution of water and isopropyl alcohol
— Mild liquid soap formulated for dishwashing

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— Chamois, sponge or soft cotton cloth
— Nylon scrub pad for glass surfaces only
(Do not use nylon scrub pad on acrylic or polycarbonate)

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Cleaning Procedure:
1. 
Remove watches and rings before performing any cleaning operation to prevent accidental scratching of

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glass or plastic surface.
2. 
Remove all excess amounts of dirt and other foreign debris from window surface with clean water. The
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preferred initial application of water is by spraying or flooding the surface with water in order to wash
away any abrasive debris such as grit, sand or dirt. If spraying or flooding is impractical, such as on the
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inner glass surface, use a clean sponge or soft cotton cloth saturated with water or isopropyl alcohol.
Never wipe dry glass or plastic surface with a dry cloth or paper towel.
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3. 
Wash outer surface of windshield gently using a 50/50 solution of water and isopropyl alcohol containing
2-5% concentration of a mild liquid soap.
4. Do not use powdered detergents, abrasive cleaners, or a cleaner with any strong acidic or caustic solutions.
5. Rinse thoroughly with clean water, and dry with a chamois, sponge or cloth.

*CLARITY® Transparency Cleaning System by PPG Aerospace is now available for plastic transparencies. It can increase the service life of coated
plastics if used regularly. More information is available at www.ppgaerospace.com under “Products: Transparencies.” Contact your PPG Aerospace
representative to purchase.

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PPG Windshield Serial Number Code
For parts manufactured at PPG Huntsville:

08244H8431

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08 244 H or R 8431

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Year of Manufacture Julian Date Manufacturing Rebuild Sequential
2008 (Day of Year) Location Unit Number
(99 = 1999) (Huntsville, Alabama)

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(06 = 2006)
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For parts manufactured at PPG Sylmar:

(178500) 8431 05/08

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(178500) 8431 05/08

Part Number Sequential Month/Year of
Unit Number Manufacture
05/08 = May 2008

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 Windshield Cross Section Examples

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Structurally Loaded Composite

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• Global Express

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Plug-Loaded Glass
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• A320

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Windshield Cross Section Example

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Structurally Loaded Glass

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• CRJ

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See more windshield cross sections in our Technical Data sheets posted online at
www.ppgaerospace.com. Under “Products,” click on “Transparencies,” and then select
“Commercial Aviation,” “Regional Aviation” or “General Aviation.” Click on the program
link for access to the Technical Data sheet.

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 Heating System Components

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Conductive Film
Power Lead/ Bus - Bus
Bus Bar Resistance Power Lead Wires
Bus Bars

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Solder Joint Temperature Sensing
Elements Terminal Block

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Sensing Element
Lead Wires

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Typical Aging-Windshield Failure Sequence

1. Moisture seal degradation caused by wind erosion, rain erosion, cracking or

debonding of sealant

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2. Moisture ingress into laminate and UV exposure

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3. Interlayer degradation (discoloration and cracking)
4. Delamination (separation of interlayer from glass/plastic)

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5. Bus bar degradation (discoloration and cracking)
6. Deterioration at the junction of the bus bar and conductive heating film

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7. Electrical arcing caused by discontinuity at the junction of the bus bar and
conductive heating film
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8. Glass ply fracture resulting from surface damage caused by electrical arcing
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and localized overheating condition
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 Moisture Seal Degradation

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PR-1425

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PR-1425

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Moisture Seal Erosion Moisture Seal Erosion
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PR-1425
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PR-1425

Moisture Seal Erosion

Moisture Seal Cracking

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Moisture Seal Degradation

• The windshield’s outboard moisture seal, also referred to as a “hump” seal because of
its shape, is the primary barrier to prevent moisture from entering the laminate. If moisture

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gets inside the laminate, while not a structural issue, delamination and degradation of the
electrical heating system can occur, reducing windshield service life.

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• Regularly inspect the windshield’s outer moisture seal for evidence of sealant erosion,
cracking or separation from glass, plastic or metal. A typical inspection interval is every

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four months or 1,000 flight hours. Refer to appropriate AMM/CMM for specific inspection
requirements.

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• Give particular attention to areas where the seal appears worn. If the sealant has eroded
more than 25% of its original width or if the sealant has cracked or debonded, the moisture
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seal should be repaired at the next opportunity.
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• Information about PPG Hump Seal Repair Kits is posted online at www.ppgaerospace.com.
Under “Products,” click on “Transparencies” and then “Transparency Repair Services.”
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 Moisture Ingress

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Moisture Ingress

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Moisture Ingress
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Moisture Ingress
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Moisture Ingress

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Moisture Ingress

• Moisture ingress can occur from wind erosion, rain erosion, cracking or separation of the
outboard moisture seal, or from damage to the windshield vertical edge seal or edge

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attachment.

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The first sign of moisture ingress is a change in the appearance of the interlayer from
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optically clear to hazy, cloudy or translucent. Interlayer may also begin to delaminate or
separate from the glass or plastic substrate without discoloration.

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• Long-term effects of moisture ingress include interlayer degradation (crackling and
discoloration), interlayer delamination (separation from glass or plastic substrate) and bus

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bar degradation (discoloration and cracking), which can lead to electrical arcing at the
junction of the bus bar and conductive heating film and subsequent glass fracture.
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 Delamination

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Delamination Delamination

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Delamination
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Delamination

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Delamination

• Delamination is defined as the reduced adhesion of the interlayer to the glass or plastic
or separation of the interlayer from any of the glass or plastic surfaces within the

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windshield laminate.

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• Delamination within the specified limits is not considered a structural issue, but can be an
optical issue.
• Delamination can appear to be visibly clear or cloudy depending on the type of interlayer

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and exposure conditions. It normally appears around the window periphery.

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• Typical allowable limits for delamination are 2 inches (51 mm) from the edge of the vision
area, with 4 inches (102 mm) allowed in corners. Localized areas of delamination may
exceed these limits if visibility is not affected. Consult your maintenance manual for
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aircraft specific limits.
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• Delamination is typically related to time in service such that older transparencies are
more likely to experience the condition.
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CAUTION: PPG does not recommend or approve “re-laminating” or injecting liquid polymer to
remove or repair areas of delamination. These procedures do not address the reason for the
original delamination and typically do not significantly extend service life.

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 Interlayer Degradation

VISION AREA

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Interlayer

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Degradation

Bar
Bus

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Moisture Ingress
Interlayer Degradation

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Moisture Seal (PR-1425)
VISION AREA
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VISION AREA
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Bus Bar
Moisture Ingress
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Interlayer
Degradation

Interlayer Degradation
Moisture Seal (PR-1425) Moisture Ingress

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Interlayer Degradation

• Two types of interlayers are used in PPG Aerospace aircraft windshields:

(1) Polyurethane (urethane) and (2) Polyvinyl Butyral (PVB or vinyl). The interlayer

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sections between the glass or acrylic plies can be all PVB, all urethane, or a combination
of the two.

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Interlayer degradation can occur because of outboard moisture seal failure, allowing
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moisture to enter the laminate and interact with the interlayer, while being exposed to UV

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under normal operating conditions. Degradation of either interlayer is not considered a
structural issue.

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Interlayer degradation occurs around the windshield periphery, becoming visible at the
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inner edge of the vision area, or daylight opening. The interlayer can change from
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optically clear to hazy and cloudy. Continued exposure to moisture can cause the
interlayer to change color to a yellow/amber tint with small cracks resembling
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“mud-cracking” or “dry lakebed.” Do not confuse this degradation with glass fracturing.
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Interlayer degradation results in a weakened or failed bond with the glass or plastic
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substrate and is considered to be delaminated where present. Limits for interlayer
degradation are the same as delamination.

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 Bus Bar Discoloration

Bus Bar/Conductive Film

Arcing

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Bus Bar
Bus Bar

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Bus Bar

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Discoloration/Arcing Moisture Ingress

Moisture Ingress
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VISION AREA VISION AREA
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Bus Bar Discoloration:
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Caused by moisture ingress resulting in bus bar/conductive heating film arcing and
localized “hot spots.”

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Bus Bar Discoloration

Bus bar discoloration can be caused by the following:

Moisture Ingress – This can result in oxidation, corrosion, degradation, debonding and
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cracking of the bus bar material. Discoloration alone is not a reason to remove the

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window, unless it occurs along the edge of the bus bar at the connection to the heated
area (an indication of arcing).
•  us Bar/Conductive Film Arcing – Moisture ingress can result in degradation of the
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electrical system and lead to electrical arcing. This can cause discoloration (amber,
brown or black) along the inner edge of the bus bar as a result of the overheating

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condition. If the heating film bus-to-bus resistance is outside the allowable limits defined
in the AMM or applicable CMM/ACMM, the window should be removed.
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 Heating System Failure

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Bus Bar Arcing
Bus Bar
Bus Bar

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Bus Bar Arcing

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Conductive Film Arcing Conductive Film
Interlayer Discoloration Arcing

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VISION AREA VISION AREA
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VISION AREA
Conductive Film
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Arcing
Bus Bar
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Arcing
Glass Fracture
Origin Bus Bar
Conductive Film
Arcing
VISION AREA

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Heating System Failure

The electrically conductive heating system of an aging aircraft window may

not function properly as a result of a variety of failure modes:

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Arcing – Arcing is an electrical discharge across a discontinuity in a wire, bus bar or
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electrical conductor. Structural integrity of the windshield is not affected, but the heating
system may become inoperative as a result of an arcing condition. Electrical arcing may
occur along the inner edge of the bus bar at the bus bar/conductive film interface. Arcing

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may progress across the heating film into the vision area. Continued application of the
operating voltage to the windshield will likely result in fracture of the outer nonstructural

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glass ply as a result of an overheat condition. Arcing of the electrically conductive film,
lead wires or terminal connections is cause for windshield replacement.
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• H
 eating System Failure – If an arcing condition exists or the windshield does not heat
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properly, deactivate the windshield circuit breaker and consult the AMM or applicable
CMM/ACMM. The bus-to-bus resistance of the conductive heating film must be within
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the design tolerance range. Remove the windshield if the resistance of the heating film is
outside this range.
• Sensing Element and Controller Failure – If bus-to-bus resistance of the windshield
heating film is within design specification, check resistance of the controlling
temperature-sensing element, aircraft controller or both for an out-of-tolerance or fault
condition.

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 Interlayer Bubbling

Top

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Moisture Seal

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VISION AREA

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VISION AREA
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Overheat Condition Overtorque Condition

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Interlayer Bubbling

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Bubbles may form within the window interlayer as a result of an overheating condition or
from edge “pinch” caused by overclamping or overtorquing fasteners during windshield

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installation.

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Bubbles in the interlayer are not considered a structural issue.
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Bubbling of the interlayer may indicate a problem with the electrical heating system of the
windshield or the aircraft controller.

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To determine if there is a problem with the windshield heating system:
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— Check the bus-to-bus resistance of the heating element.
— Check the resistance of the controlling temperature-sensing element.
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If either of these checks indicates an out-of-tolerance condition, consult the AMM for
recommendations.
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For instructions on how to check the windshield heat control system, refer to the
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applicable AMM.

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 Glass Fracture

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Typical Fracture Pattern Typical Fracture Pattern

Fragment Size of Fragment Size of
Chemically Strengthened Glass Thermally Tempered Glass

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Glass Fracture

• Glass fracture can occur on any of the glass plies within the laminate.
• The outboard glass ply is typically the nonstructural glass component in the aircraft

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window cross section. The aircraft can be flown with restrictions if the outboard glass ply

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is fractured. See the AMM or flight manual for details on restrictions.
• The center and inner glass plies in the window cross section are considered structural
glass plies. If either of these glass plies fractures, the windshield must be replaced. In

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some cases, the aircraft may be flown/ferried with structural glass plies fractured only
as a nonrevenue (no passengers) flight in order to return the aircraft to a maintenance

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facility. See the AMM or flight manual for details on restrictions.
• Glass fracture can result from impingement, impact, foreign object damage (FOD), glass
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ply edge damage, surface scratches, electrical arcing or peel adhesion chip.
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• Heated glass plies may fracture as a result of the overheat condition caused by
electrical arcing at the bus bar/conductive film interface. The extreme heat generated
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by the electrical arcing causes damage to the glass that propagates from mechanical
and thermal stresses encountered in service. The damage propagates until the center
tension area of the thermally tempered or chemically strengthened glass is penetrated,
causing spontaneous fracture.

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 Glass Fracture
Impingement, Foreign Object Damage (FOD)

OUTBOARD GLASS SURFACE

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Fracture Face

Impact Damage/
Foreign Object Damage (FOD)

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Glass Fracture
Electrical Arcing, Peel Adhesion Chip

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Electrical Arcing Electrical Arcing
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Peel Adhesion Chip Peel Adhesion Chip

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 Glass Surface Scratch
Structural Glass Ply Visual Inspection
Inspect scratches using the ASTM F428-6 Aerospace Scratch Standard for Glass.
Scratch intensity is best viewed in reflected light against a dark background.

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A scratch is acceptable if the visible Scratch on
scratch intensity is equal to or less Inboard
Glass Ply

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than the F428-6 scratch standard.
Window Removal Not Required

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A scratch is unacceptable if the
visible scratch intensity is greater
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than the F428-6 scratch standard.
F428-6
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Window Removal Required Scratch
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Glass Surface Scratch

• Scratches may occur on the outer surface of the nonstructural outboard glass ply.
Scratches on the outer glass surface are structurally acceptable. The windshield may

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remain in service as long as visibility through the windshield is not impaired.

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Scratches on the inboard surface of the inner structural glass ply shall be compared
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to the ASTM F428-6 Aerospace Scratch Standard for Glass. Note: Aerospace Scratch
Standards illustrate scratch severity as reflected light intensity. The greater the intensity,

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the more severe the scratch. This is a visual evaluation and does not indicate the actual
depth of the scratch.

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— A
 ny scratch on the inboard surface of the inner structural glass ply with an
appearance intensity equal to or less than the ASTM F428-6 standard or having a
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depth equal to or less than 0.002 inch (0.05 mm) shall be allowed no matter what the
accumulated length as long as the pilot’s visibility is not impaired.
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­­— A
 ny scratch on the inboard surface of the inner structural glass ply appearing to have
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an intensity greater than the ASTM F428-6 Aerospace Scratch Standard or a depth
greater than 0.002 inch (0.05 mm) requires replacement of the window.

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 Acrylic and Polycarbonate Crazing

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Overall View Close-Up View

With Reflected Light With Reflected Light

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Acrylic and Polycarbonate Crazing

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Surface Crazing Magnified View

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 Acrylic and Polycarbonate Crazing
Surface Scratches and Crazing
• Acrylic and polycarbonate surface scratches and crazing can occur from improper
cleaning procedures, impingement (foreign object damage) or chemical attack.

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Crazing refers to the microscopic surface cracks that occur as a result of localized
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stresses which are relieved by the physical separation of the acrylic or polycarbonate
surface.
The effect of scratches and crazing is an increase in light scattering, resulting in
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objectionable glare under certain lighting conditions (i.e., reflected light).

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Technical Support Contacts

North America / South America Email: [email protected]

Huntsville, Alabama, USA

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Telephone: +1 (256) 851-7001 PPG Aerospace website:
www.ppgaerospace.com

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Fax: +1 (256) 859-8155
For the PPG Aerospace application
Sylmar, California, USA
support center nearest you, please visit
Telephone: +1 (661) 678-4209

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our website.
Fax: +1 (818) 362-1577

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Europe / Middle East / Africa / India
Colomiers, France (Regional Office)
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Telephone: +33 (0) 561 49 48 49
Fax: +33 (0) 561 31 89 28
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Asia Pacific
Suzhou, China (ASC) For urgent or time-sensitive matters,
Telephone: +86 (512) 6661 5858 please contact your sales or technical
Fax: +86 (512) 6661 6868 representative by telephone or email.

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Rev. 1