Aircraft

FARNBOROUGH 2008: Window to the future

PPG Aerospace and Gentex Corp have brought a live demonstration of world-first electrochromatic window shades for commercial aircraft.

The PPG-Gentex system provides adjustable light transmission in the cabin that can be controlled by the passenger or the flight crew. The window is fully dimmable by using a low electric current and special tints.

Mark Cancilla, global director commercial transparencies, explains the version on the stand is the type that will appear in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. “Early in the Dreamliner project, Boeing asked if we could develop an electrochromatic window as the design was too large for conventional blinds. The application really has worked out for Boeing, as we’ve produced a system that is lightweight, maintenance-free and only draws a couple of hundred Watts to run for all the windows,” he says.

Cancilla adds the Dreamliner, with its very large passenger windows, was the perfect candidate to develop the technology. And now, as the project is nearing fruition, he says other airframers will soon follow their lead. “I’m sure that within the next few months we’ll be announcing deals with business jet OEMs. The product is ideal for this market as, rather than just light or dark with conventional shutters, visible light transmittance can be varied from a bright clear state to a nearly opaque dark state. It makes the cabin more comfortable for passengers as it can reduce glare without reducing light,” he says.