PPG Aerospace developing solar-reflective coatings for aircraft windows

PPG Industries' (NYSE:PPG) aerospace transparencies business is developing coating technology for aircraft cockpit and passenger-cabin windows that reduces solar heat transmittance for more crew and passenger comfort and reduced load on the air-conditioning system for lower operating costs.

Paris Air Show visitors can see coated cabin windows at PPG Aerospace's display at Hall 2B, Stand D57. The International Paris Air Show is June 15-21 at Le Bourget Exhibition Centre.

PPG is developing solar-reflective coatings with a neutral appearance for glass and plastic windows to meet aircraft designers' and operators' demand for higher performing products that reduce operating costs while improving the flying experience, according to Anthony Stone, PPG Aerospace global director, new business development for transparencies.

"Unlike other aerospace solar-reflective window coatings, PPG Aerospace coatings will not be visibly reflective but will be color neutral for the attractive aesthetics important to our customers," Stone said.

"Our tests have shown solar transmittance for a stretched-acrylic cabin window with a solar-reflective coating to be about half that of an uncoated window while maintaining high visible light transmittance," Stone said. "Passengers and crew will experience a noticeable improvement in comfort, especially when the air conditioning is not operating while an aircraft is on the ground."

Stone said airlines and other aircraft operators will benefit because it will be easier to maintain cockpit and cabin temperatures for reduced air-conditioning demand and related costs, especially with growing aviation use of composites. "Because composite airframes don't dissipate solar heat as well as aluminum, our customers are looking for ways to reduce solar heat transmittance, and applying solar-reflective coatings to windows provides an ideal solution."

PPG expects to qualify its stretched-acrylic cabin window coatings this year with a major airframe manufacturer and to apply the technology to glass cockpit windows, Stone added.