ORLANDO, Fla., Oct. 20, 2009 – Neutral-silver and gold aircraft window coatings by PPG Industries’ (NYSE:PPG) aerospace transparencies group on display during the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) annual meeting and convention demonstrate aesthetic options in solar-reflective coating technology.
NBAA show visitors can see side-by-side examples of the neutral-silver solar-reflective and gold solar-reflective coatings at PPG Aerospace’s display booth 1881. The show is today through Thursday at the Orange County Convention Center here.
Offering solar-reflective coatings on aircraft transparencies with different aesthetics enables designers and operators to select windows that enhance an airplane’s appearance and interior comfort while providing the solar reflectivity characteristics needed for the aircraft’s design and operation, according to Anthony Stone, PPG Aerospace global director, new business development for transparencies.
“Many of our customers have said they like the neutral appearance of transparencies with the silver coating,” Stone said. “However, we know there is interest in transparencies with the bolder gold coating, too, and PPG will be able to offer both.”
PPG’s solar-reflective coatings are being developed for glass and plastic aircraft transparencies to help reduce interior cockpit and cabin temperatures and air-conditioning demand. “They will offer an effective and attractive solution to reduce solar heat transmittance, especially with increasing use of composites in aircraft structures that don’t dissipate solar heat as well as aluminum,” Stone said.
PPG will be able to design and develop transparencies with solar-reflective coatings and to incorporate them into its electrochromic cabin window systems.
“The most advanced passenger windows will combine solar-reflective coatings and Alteos Interactive Window Systems for the ultimate combination of cabin comfort, convenience and aesthetics,” Stone said. PPG’s NBAA display includes a full-size working demonstration of Alteos window systems with solar-reflective-coated windows.
Transparencies with neutral-silver and gold coatings have similar solar-reflective performance, with lower infrared transmittance than uncoated transparencies so interior cockpit and cabin temperatures are easier to keep comfortable, he said.
PPG tests have shown solar transmittance for a stretched-acrylic cabin window with its neutral-silver solar-reflective coating to be about half that of an uncoated window while maintaining high visible light transmittance. Also, the neutral look of the silver coating coordinates well with the neutral appearance of Alteos window systems, enhancing aesthetics when viewed from the interior of the aircraft.
PPG expects to qualify solar-reflective-coated stretched-acrylic passenger-cabin windows this year with a major airframe manufacturer, Stone added. PPG also will develop glass cockpit windows with solar-reflective coatings, he said.
PPG Aerospace is the aerospace products and services business of PPG Industries. PPG Aerospace – Transparencies is the world’s largest supplier of aircraft windshields, windows and canopies. PPG Aerospace – PRC-DeSoto is the leading global producer and distributor of aerospace coatings, sealants and packaging and application systems.
About PPG
Pittsburgh-based PPG is a global supplier of paints, coatings, optical products, specialty materials, chemicals, glass and fiber glass. The company has more than 140 manufacturing facilities and equity affiliates and operates in more than 60 countries. Sales in 2008 were $15.8 billion. PPG shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol: PPG). For more information, visit www.ppg.com.
