PPG Aerospace awarded Embraer contract for Legacy 450, 500 cockpit windows

PPG Industries' (NYSE:PPG) aerospace transparencies business has been awarded a contract by Embraer to design and produce cockpit windows for the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer's Legacy 450 and Legacy 500 executive jets.

At current production estimates of 1,200 aircraft over 10 years, the contract is valued at about $38 million, according to Art Scott, PPG Aerospace global director for commercial original-equipment transparencies sales.

The designs are expected to be similar to cockpit windows PPG Aerospace supplies for other Embraer aircraft. The heated glass windshields will be bird-impact resistant and will have rain-repellent Surface Seal coating to provide water shedding without the need for windshield wipers, Scott said. The side cockpit windows are expected to be laminated stretched acrylic.

"Embraer knows firsthand about our unique ability to provide innovative technology for cockpit windows," Scott said. "PPG transparencies consistently show excellent service life, which enables Embraer to meet the needs of its customers for value and performance. We are pleased to be able to continue to supply advanced transparency solutions for Embraer."

Design and development for the Legacy 450 and Legacy 500 cockpit windows will be done at PPG's Huntsville, Ala., aircraft products facility, where the glass windshields will be manufactured. PPG is able to produce the side cockpit windows at facilities in Sylmar, Calif., and Casaletto Vaprio, Italy, near Milan.

The Legacy 500 jet is expected to enter service in the second half of 2012, and the Legacy 450 in the second half of 2013. Scott said PPG expects production cockpit window deliveries to begin in late 2011.