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...
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...