Emergency hammer for windows

[FloridaMan]

 

[201er]

It's only meant to work from inside. Gonna have to try it again

[1001001]

One thing that works on some aviation windows is an "Automatic center punch" like this:  https://smile.amazon.com/General-Tools-78-Automatic-Center/dp/B00004T7RF/

We tested one on some pieces of canopy from a Van's RV aircraft and it worked.  One of our local builders has a damaged but intact canopy, and we're going to test it on that and hopefully video the results, when we get around to it.

 

The benefit of the automatic punch is that you don't have to have a long swing to build up energy, and you don't have to be particularly strong to use it.  In the cramped quarters of an aircraft cabin, it's hard to get a swing going.

Crash axe/hatchet would probably be even better than the window breaker tool, but it still requires space to swing it.

Edited November 5, 2021 by 1001001

[FloridaMan]

5 minutes ago, 201er said:

It's only meant to work from inside. Gonna have to try it again

 

[StevenL757]

My emergency hammer…

[ArtVandelay]

My emergency hammer…

That doesn’t work either, I’ve tried it. The thicker windows that many of us have are pretty stout. I have yet to try a real hammer or a 9mm. ;-)

[David Lloyd]

Years ago I had a windshield replaced in my Bonanza.  Bought it from Beryl D'Shannon and at the time they had someone driving around the country replacing windshields, Jim Krug.  He showed up, drilled rivets from the windshield frame, then took a 3 pound ball peen hammer to it.  3rd wack the windshield cracked, then he worked on the crack with the hammer to run it to the edge and another crack to an edge.  Then he put on leather work glove and used some big channel lock pliers to pull the broken portion from the frame.  After that, it was relatively easy (as I stood in the shade watching).  3rd wack from a big guy with a heavy hammer that knew what he was doing (he told me he had done over a thousand windshields).  

I got doubts about a little hammer, no gloves, no channel locks as a solution for getting out.  Maybe a sharp, sturdy knife to score couple places beginning at the pilot window opening, then some brute force.  Watch out for sharp edges.

Oh, Jim Krug took about 15 minutes to drill the rivets, break the windshield, pull the pieces and frame out.  Then it was most of the day to install the new windshield.

[EricJ]

This is why I added a release to my baggage hatch.   You can't count on getting out through a window unless the crash breaks it.

 

[jaylw314]

My understanding is those little emergency hammers are only good on car side windows, since they're tempered glass.  I wouldn't have assumed they'd work on acrylic windows.

Are the side windows easier to kick out than the windshield?

[GeeBee]

That hammer is only good for glass!

[aviatoreb]

I tried the little hammer myself on a Cessna window that was in a shop being replaced maybe ten years ago / with the Cessna owner of course.  It worked fantastically well.  So what’s different?  I’m confused.

e

[EricJ]

5 minutes ago, aviatoreb said:

I tried the little hammer myself on a Cessna window that was in a shop being replaced maybe ten years ago / with the Cessna owner of course.  It worked fantastically well.  So what’s different?  I’m confused.

e

Different types of plastic are different, and there are multiple types used in aircraft, e.g., polycarbonate (e.g., lexan) or acrylic (e.g., plexiglass).   Acrylic can be more brittle than polycarbonate, especially if it has aged in the sun for a long time.

So old acrylic that has been parked outside for a long time will be expected to be more brittle than newer windows or that have been consistently stored inside.   Polycarb can get brittle over time, too, but it ages differently than acrylic.

I've seen old acrylic that is so brittle that it breaks from slight pressure.

 

[aviatoreb]

2 minutes ago, EricJ said:

Different types of plastic are different, and there are multiple types used in aircraft, e.g., polycarbonate (e.g., lexan) or acrylic (e.g., plexiglass).   Acrylic can be more brittle than polycarbonate, especially if it has aged in the sun for a long time.

So old acrylic that has been parked outside for a long time will be expected to be more brittle than newer windows or that have been consistently stored inside.   Polycarb can get brittle over time, too, but it ages differently than acrylic.

I've seen old acrylic that is so brittle that it breaks from slight pressure.

 

Well we were definitely using old windows as the test since they were being replaced.

[A64Pilot]

Military used a “crash axe”

https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/axe-emergency-united-states-army-air-forces/nasm_A19602359000

Years ago when the det cord expired on AH-64’s we carried a crash axe in the cockpit, it’s not a small thing. A good hatchet would work. AH-64 windows have det cord all around them, the det cord will cut the windows 

Acrylics are tough, again many years ago we changed the windows in an OH-58, same as a Bell 206, anyway I jumped on one to break it, it turned inside out, made white lines when it bent, but didn’t break.

I think you would have better luck laying on your back and kicking the door open.

[Stan]

6 hours ago, ArtVandelay said:

That doesn’t work either, I’ve tried it. The thicker windows that many of us have are pretty stout. I have yet to try a real hammer or a 9mm. ;-)

.45???

[FloridaMan]

1 hour ago, Stan said:

.45???

Now you’ve done it. 

[philip_g]

6 hours ago, aviatoreb said:

I tried the little hammer myself on a Cessna window that was in a shop being replaced maybe ten years ago / with the Cessna owner of course.  It worked fantastically well.  So what’s different?  I’m confused.

e

A guy on YouTube did the same 

 

 

 

[A64Pilot]

I can’t explain why it worked, and I’ve not watched the video’s due to bandwidth. My assumption is very old, very brittle plastic

For a center punch / sharp pointed object to work its meant to be used on tempered glass, if for instance you tried it on an auto windshield which is laminated and not tempered it’s not going to work, but the other windows in the car will explode into little glass pieces as that’s what tempered glass is supposed to do, shower doors are also tempered, it’s a safety thing, little pieces of glass won’t hurt you, but if the shower door broke in half and that half fell on you it could.

These things are for tempered glass, not plastic.

To get out of a plastic window your going to need to beat your way out, maybe kicking it out, but if your not wearing boots you may be seriously injured.

I was stationed in Germany mid 90’s and I believe German law required you to carry the hammer / seat belt cutter and a reflective triangle and a pretty big first aid kit. The law required you to stop and render aid, differences were interesting is all. Most German laws at their core were pretty logical.

I still have that stuff and still carry it in my car.

Edited November 6, 2021 by A64Pilot

[RLCarter]

Not all automotive side glass is tempered, they has started using laminated glass to try and keep the occupants in during a rollover 

[jaylw314]

13 hours ago, A64Pilot said:

I was stationed in Germany mid 90’s and I believe German law required you to carry the hammer / seat belt cutter and a reflective triangle and a pretty big first aid kit. The law required you to stop and render aid, differences were interesting is all. Most German laws at their core were pretty logical.

Ha!  I remember a quote from one of Stephen Ambrose's books where he said (paraphrasing) that the average American GI in Europe found the British arrogant, the French lazy, the Italians dirty, and in the end, the people they ended up relating best to were the German people.

 

2 hours ago, RLCarter said:

Not all automotive side glass is tempered, they has started using laminated glass to try and keep the occupants in during a rollover 

That's kind of weird, I can't see how that would help unless the occupants weren't restrained.  Then there'd be the question of how to quickly egress if the doors became jammed (just like we're asking about with windows)

[RLCarter]

3 hours ago, jaylw314 said:

That's kind of weird, I can't see how that would help unless the occupants weren't restrained.  Then there'd be the question of how to quickly egress if the doors became jammed (just like we're asking about with windows)

My buddy has a 2016 F-150 Crew Cab, all of the door glass is laminated, my 2014 all 4 a tempered. In the event of a rollover my guess is ALL the glass would be fractured at the least, once fractured it’s pretty easy to kick out the windshield, side glass would be even easier due to the fact it’s only attached at the bottom

[Andy95W]

3 hours ago, jaylw314 said:

Ha!  I remember a quote from one of Stephen Ambrose's books where he said (paraphrasing) that the average American GI in Europe found the British arrogant, the French lazy, the Italians dirty, and in the end, the people they ended up relating best to were the German people.

Genau.

[jaylw314]

20 minutes ago, RLCarter said:

My buddy has a 2016 F-150 Crew Cab, all of the door glass is laminated, my 2014 all 4 a tempered. In the event of a rollover my guess is ALL the glass would be fractured at the least, once fractured it’s pretty easy to kick out the windshield, side glass would be even easier due to the fact it’s only attached at the bottom

That's a good point, I hadn't considered that!

[mike_elliott]

On 11/5/2021 at 2:18 PM, EricJ said:

This is why I added a release to my baggage hatch.   You can't count on getting out through a window unless the crash breaks it.

 

While it is good to have an emergency exit, its practicality will depend on a number of things going absolutely right in an emergency. Something everyone should do so they understand what it takes is to practice egress on the ground using the baggage hatch. If your over 20, it wont be that fun. If you have just landed in a beanfield and upside down with broken ribs, next to impossible. It will be a human effort if you are injured at all to get out thru the cabin door, so MAKE SURE it is open before you land anywhere but an airport so it is not jammed shut. This one simple thing probably saved my life in 2014. I was unconscious, but someone knew right away were to to pull my busted up carcass out of a plane on fire. I am sure everyone who has been injured can concur here @mooneygirl @DanM20C

[exM20K]

55 minutes ago, mike_elliott said:

While it is good to have an emergency exit, its practicality will depend on a number of things going absolutely right in an emergency. Something everyone should do so they understand what it takes is to practice egress on the ground using the baggage hatch. If your over 20, it wont be that fun. If you have just landed in a beanfield and upside down with broken ribs, next to impossible. It will be a human effort if you are injured at all to get out thru the cabin door, so MAKE SURE it is open before you land anywhere but an airport so it is not jammed shut. This one simple thing probably saved my life in 2014. I was unconscious, but someone knew right away were to to pull my busted up carcass out of a plane on fire. I am sure everyone who has been injured can concur here @mooneygirl @DanM20C

I am going to attempt to get out the baggage door today.  Should be interesting. There will be no video, only a stopwatch.

not only should you open the cabin door in preparation for an off-field landing, it’s also important to close the latch and wedge a coat or blanket ibetween the door and frame to lessen the likelihood that it closes up on you.

-dan