Windsheild/canopy reinforcement?

Reading with interest Greg's in-flight incident that thankfully ended well for him, https://vansairforce.net/community/showthread.php?t=215016
it revived a past thought of mine of ways to reinforce plexiglass/acrylic windsheilds/canopies.

I had a few close calls with birds in Cessnas and Cherokees and was lucky as these always missed the windsheild, though one time I was (very loudly) hit by a bird on the wing strut with no issues (except for the bird...).
Birds are one thing, they were flying long before us.
What I dread more would be hit by a small drone flown without respecting their vertical and lateral restrictions... Even the smaller ones will do significant damage as they are dense.

I would suggest that presenting a wide flat surface, the windsheilds of the Van's side-by-side seaters have a weaker resistance to impact than the narrower, rounded tandem seaters.
Certainly, wearing a helmet/eye protection is good insurance against injury and worth serious consideration.

Nevertheless, my thoughts were/are on the protective films that are applied to building windows or car windows.
They are mostly reputed to render the glass "safer" when hit or struck with a blunt objet. While it may crack, it stays whole.

Could this product help in strenghtening our windsheilds/canopies?
Did anyone install that type of film on their homes/cars/airplanes?
What are your thoughts on this ??

One thing to consider though, if one installs this protective film, it will make it close to impossible to break through from inside...

Laminate needs sandwiched

I'm no expert but I think the thing that makes auto glass more resistant to puncture is that the plastic laminate is sandwiched between the glass. This keeps the pieces tied together even though it is broken. First - I don't know if you could do this with acrylic, second - I'm sure this would drastically increase cost as you'd have to have 2 molds with 2 different sizes for each windshield (inside and out), third - the fallout (dust) from mfg process would also increase thus increasing cost. In other words if it was easy it would have already been done.... I do like the idea just not very feasible.

If you've ever seen a smashed car windshield, the way it shatters but stays together, it completely disrupts visibility. You probably don't want that if you're going to be suddenly looking around for an airport or field to do a forced landing. If it was just one or two cracks, that's one thing, but shattered into a million pieces--I'd think it would be better to just have that go overboard.

Both Ryans,
thanks for your inputs.
I know about car laminated or tempered/safety glass.
That's not what I meant.
It's a clear protective film that's added to existing car or home windows/glass. Sort of like tinted film that is applied to clear glass.
On both car and home application, its claim is that the glass can shatter but not separate or leave its frame. Think about an attempted break-in or car jacking.
A car windsheild or tempered glass will break appart in small, injury-less pieces but can depart from its frame, thus a passage is created.

Not affiliated to 3M or any other seller but here are 2 examples:
https://securityshutter.ca/products/3m-security-window-film
https://www.globalsecurityexperts.com/products/vehiclegard

Having a bird strike would be scary and possibly deadly. We have lots of big birds - hawks and geese around our airport. They appear to play chicken with us quite often.

Even with the possibility of a bird strike, my biggest fear is being able to get out of my plane if it was upside down. In my mind that is a bigger risk than the bird strike.

Maybe a film could work but since the canopy breaks into sharp pieces I dont know of a film that you could see through that wouldnt cut from the sharp plastic. Mine is a tip up. At least the sliders has a bar that could help cut the bird in half as it came through!

If there existed a transparent film that was stronger than a canopy, you'd think they would make the canopy out of the stuff...

Slider vs Tip Up

Something that hasn't been discussed is the structure holding the canopy as a safety feature.

I hit a hawk that came thru the canopy in my RV-6.

It wasn't at night, or at altitude like Greg's situation (wow) but I do believe that the rollover structure of the slider canopy on my RV-6 did protect the canopy from completely collapsing during my event.

Something to think about.....

Laird
Story at:
https://vansairforce.net/articles/howtoruinyourwindshield.htm

The film is there to hold the pieces together, not replacing the windsheild.
You would end up with a broken/cracked windshield, but presumably still in place.
Possibly preventing a lost windshield as in Greg's incident.

What's better?
Cracked windshield/impaired visibility but no physical injuries and 100 mph wind in the face when slowed down?
Or no windshield but good forward visibility (if you still have your eyes and not knoked-out by the bird)?
I know it's speculation, just trying to gather ideas, pros and cons, feasability etc.

Piper PA-28 windshield thickness is available in: 1/8", 3/16" or 1/4".
RV-8 windshield is 3/16".
RV-10 windshield is 1/4".
Windshields can be ordered in different thicknesses.

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/pdf/LP-Aero-Reference_a.pd

Good luck

riseric said:

The film is there to hold the pieces together, not replacing the windsheild.
You would end up with a broken/cracked windshield, but presumably still in place.
Possibly preventing a lost windshield as in Greg's incident.

What's better?
Cracked windshield/impaired visibility but no physical injuries and 100 mph wind in the face when slowed down?
Or no windshield but good forward visibility (if you still have your eyes and not knoked-out by the bird)?
I know it's speculation, just trying to gather ideas, pros and cons, feasability etc.

Click to expand...

I think it’s a great idea. This technology has made leaps and bounds over the last decade or so. After paint I’ll definitely be putting a clear windshield wrap (xpel/stek/3m whatever) on my windshield.
I’ve had 3 cars clear wrapped. The stuff is amazing. No swirls. Self healing in the heat. Etc.
My goal is just to protect against swirls, cleaning, stone chips etc but it definitely couldn’t hurt for bigger impacts as well.
Cheers.

riseric said:

What's better?
Cracked windshield/impaired visibility but no physical injuries and 100 mph wind in the face when slowed down?
Or no windshield but good forward visibility (if you still have your eyes and not knoked-out by the bird)?
I know it's speculation, just trying to gather ideas, pros and cons, feasability etc.

Click to expand...

I would take a cracked windshield and poor vis if it could save my glasses and headset and perhaps injury from a bird. You could always cut out a small hole to see forward. Like the old days looking through an iced over windshield.

Jetmart said:

I would take a cracked windshield and poor vis if it could save my glasses and headset and perhaps injury from a bird. You could always cut out a small hole to see forward. Like the old days looking through an iced over windshield.

Click to expand...

Good point. I agree - better to have eyes working and a cracked windshield to look out. But it still needs to be breakable or easily broken out if needed.

rockwoodrv9 said:

But it still needs to be breakable or easily broken out if needed.

Click to expand...

That's an important point.
Especially for the tip-ups.

Egress through a standard canopy is normally possible with small hand tools like a punch/knife to crack it open and then remove the pieces with a canopy breaker.
With a protective film, it would be another story.

I see that the film is normally on the inside. That would make it vulnerable for a knife blade to cut it partially or maybe peel it off before cracking/breaking the acrylic.

Not such an issue with the sliders where just the windshield would get the film.
I have car 3M protective film on the front of the hood, headlight lens and front part of the exterior mirrors. Works perfectly against stone chips after 10 winters of abuse. Lots of small stone/sand here on the roads because of ice/cold...
I'll try to get info from the installer if they know anything about that particular film.