Thinking of switching to clear windows

[FloridaMan]

I hate the glass on my Rocket. It’s a tad foggy and tinted. Compared to my m20f which is crystal clear and enjoyable to look out of. The concern I have with going to clear is UV exposure up in the flight levels. I’m thinking of cutting reusable stick-on tint panels to size and installing them so I can have both some tint, but also enjoy the views at night and when sight-seeing down low. The current tinting in the Windows is inadequate for flying over cloud tops at 240. Thoughts?

Edited October 25, 2019 by FloridaMan

[EricJ]

The other thing to think about is heating on the ground (solar gain).   My airplane has the grey tinted glass and it stays reasonable longer when sitting in the sun compared to an airplane with clear, which can turn into an oven in short order.      Even with the grey tint I keep the static sticky dark tint around to place as needed if the sun is in an unfavorable spot.

When I fly in other airplanes with clear glass I'm thankful for my tint. 

[FloridaMan]

4 minutes ago, EricJ said:

The other thing to think about is heating on the ground (solar gain).   My airplane has the grey tinted glass and it stays reasonable longer when sitting in the sun compared to an airplane with clear, which can turn into an oven in short order.      Even with the grey tint I keep the static sticky dark tint around to place as needed if the sun is in an unfavorable spot.

When I fly in other airplanes with clear glass I'm thankful for my tint. 

Being in Florida, it doesn’t seem to matter. Hopefully in a month or two I’ll have my air conditioning ready for testing. 

[TTaylor]

I highly recommend the solar gray tint.  Provides UV protection, cooler interior in summer, and the optics are crystal clear.  Almost no noticeable reduction in visibility for night flight.  Best solution for aircraft windows right now.

 

 

[takair]

I went from foggy green tint to clear while living in Georgia.  I regretted it almost immediately.  The sun is noticeably hotter.  Even here in New England I regret it.  I’ve added the removable tint to the rear windows, but find it too dark for the front, plus the optics are not quite perfect.  The only time I really am happy with the clear glass is if flying low during leaf season, which amounts a a few flights each year.

[larrynimmo]

I’ve ordered the green UV protected windshield....why....because I flew with a friend in a beech muskateer that felt at least 10 degrees warmer with the clear plexi...it was so hot even on an 80 degree day

[Browncbr1]

+1 for solar grey uv.   No problems at night.  

[Htwjr]

I replaced my side windows using solar grey on the front ones and dark tint on the rear and was suprised how much cooler the plane was and how much cooler and more modern it looked.  My old ones were badly crazed which  made taxiing at night difficult. +2 for solar grey

[carusoam]

Went from old faded green to clear in the door window...

Reminded me of sitting in the back of mom’s 70s station wagon... noticeably too hot and stuffy...

Went back to green a week later... slowly changing one window at a time...

+1 for solar gray...

+1 See if you can get UV resistant clear... modern chemistry...

+1 having a hangar... 

Best regards,

-a-

[rbridges]

14 hours ago, TTaylor said:

I highly recommend the solar gray tint.  Provides UV protection, cooler interior in summer, and the optics are crystal clear.  Almost no noticeable reduction in visibility for night flight.  Best solution for aircraft windows right now.

 

 

I've never flown in a plane with the solar gray, but it looks nice from the outside. 

[GeeBee]

I have a few thousand hours in the flight levels with clear windows above the arctic ice. There is NO tint that can save your skin or keep you comfortable. I have tried them all. Amber, green, grey. Put on a lot of sunscreen and stuff a chart in the frame to block the direct sun. You are in the flight levels (positive control airspace) and you have a traffic display. See and be seen is not a factor.

 

 

[FloridaMan]

I honestly don’t really notice any difference between my two planes in Florida. Tint or no tint, it’s hot. On the ground, the cool scoop makes the biggest difference. 

[Immelman]

Get the UV protected ones.

I went clear, and the view is nice, but I wish I had UV protection. Hindsight 20/20 I made a mistake.

I don't care for the ones that are blue or green, but neutral gray UV..... the colors will still be real outside.

[Yetti]

Consider upgrading to Windows 10 seems to be more stable.

[ArtVandelay]

Here is what the extra dark gray looks like:




Tom

[FloridaMan]

7 hours ago, ArtVandelay said:

Here is what the extra dark gray looks like:




Tom

Any chance you could post a photo from the inside or of the door open for contrast with the outside? Every photo I see of gray I’m looking through two windows. 

[ArtVandelay]

Any chance you could post a photo from the inside or of the door open for contrast with the outside? Every photo I see of gray I’m looking through two windows. 

Will do.


Tom

[ArtVandelay]

Any chance you could post a photo from the inside or of the door open for contrast with the outside? Every photo I see of gray I’m looking through two windows. 

Here you go:



Tom

[81X]

I went solar gray from LP Aero when I re-did my Cherokee glass except for the windscreen which was UV-coated clear.  It looked a lot more modern than green and it certainly helped to block some of the heat.  No issues at night whatsoever and if I ever re-do my 231, I'll do exactly the same.  I use some of those sticky small tint panels now for my kid in the back which help for now.