Overview

Helicopter landing in extreme sand and dust environment

All exterior components of an aircraft are subjected to severe environmental conditions during flight, as well as when aircraft are on the ground in desert environments. Carbon fiber and metallic surfaces are durable and can handle, in many cases, years of exposure to these conditions without failure. Windscreens are fragile by comparison, and require replacement to maintain safe operating conditions for pilots and passengers. The effects of erosion will quickly degrade the windscreen’s clarity and cause image distortion. With increased numbers of night time missions, the use of Night Vision Goggles (NVG’s) has become more prevalent. When pilots look through damaged windscreens using NVG’s, the windscreen surface damage is intensified due to light refraction and scattering, and optical clarity is lost.

ASSALT™ film removal from helicopter windscreen with no adhesive transfer

In an effort to combat windscreen erosion, UPT has developed an innovative protective window film, applied directly to the environmentally exposed surface of a windscreen. Sacrificial transparent laminates were introduced in 1997 for use in National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). A modified version can be used for vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (VTOL), offering a barrier that protects the windscreen, while having no adverse effect on NVG performance. This film can be applied in both single and multi-layer configurations. The film will absorb particulate impacts that might otherwise damage an unprotected window, increasing pilot safety and extending the life of the windscreen.