FAA Advisory Circular 43.13-1B
Acceptable Methods, Techniques, and Practices
Aircraft Inspection and Repair
AC 43.13-1B | 3. Fiberglass and Plastics | 4. Windshields, Enclosures, and Windows | 3-41. Protection
AC 43.13-1B
9/8/98
FIGURE 3-24. Temporary repairs to cracked windshields or windows.
windshield cleaner especially approved for use
on aircraft transparent plastics. These cleaners
may be purchased through aircraft supply
houses.
f. Waxing. A thin coating of wax will fill
any minute scratches that may be present and
will cause rain to form droplets that are easily
blown away by the wind.
cover over the windshield. In many cases, this
has done more harm than good. This cover
may absorb moisture from the air and give off
harmful vapors, and if it touches the surface of
the plastic it can cause crazing or minute
cracks to form in the windshield. Another
hazard in using such a cover is that sand can
blow up under the cover and scratch the plas
tic.
3-41. PROTECTION. Acrylic windshields
are often called “lifetime” windshields, to dis
tinguish them from those made of the much
shorter-lived acetate material. However, even
acrylic must be protected from the ravages of
the elements.
a. When an aircraft is parked in direct
sunlight, the windshield will absorb heat and
will actually become hotter than either the in
side of the aircraft or the outside air. The sun
will cause the inside of a closed aircraft to be
come extremely hot, and this heat is also ab
sorbed by the plastic windshield.
b. To protect against this damage, it is
wise to keep the aircraft in a hangar. If this is
not possible, some type of shade should be
provided to keep the sun from coming in direct
contact with the windshield. Some aircraft
owners use a close-fitting, opaque, reflective
3-42. WINDSHIELD INSTALLATION.
Aircraft windshields may be purchased either
from the original aircraft manufacturer or from
any of several FAA-PMA sources. These
windshields are formed to the exact shape re
quired, but are slightly larger than necessary so
they may be trimmed to the exact size.
a. After removing the damaged wind-
shield, clean all of the sealer from the grooves
and cut the new windshield to fit. New wind
shields are covered with either protective paper
or film to prevent damage during handling or
installation. Carefully peel back just enough
of this covering to make the installation. The
windshield must fit in its channels with about
1/8- to 1/4-inch clearance to allow for expan
sion and contraction. If any holes are drilled in
the plastic for screws, they should be about
1/8 inch oversize.
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