This 10% weight saving has been achieved by manufacturing the window from chemically-toughened CE120 glass, replacing the heavier, thermally-toughened glass of previous generations of the window. The company has also incorporated modifications to the design of the windshield that will extend its performance and simplify its manufacture.
It will be fully interchangeable with existing windshields making it available to operators of all Airbus single aisle aircraft. In addition, by combining this new windshield with the company's established cockpit windows, GKN Aerospace can now offer the lightest complete cockpit window set on the market for single aisle aircraft.
Gavin Wesson, senior vice president, GKN Aerospace Special Products Group explained: " We are very proud to be a part of the A320 Family success story and the new GKN Aerospace windshield delivers real weight savings and performance benefits to Airbus customers."
GKN Aerospace supplies transparencies for the cockpit and cabin of much of the Airbus family of aircraft and to most of the prime airframe manufacturers. The company is also a major supplier of complex, composite and metallic airframe and aero-engine structures to Airbus.
