Flight Compartment Windows

1 FAA Aviation Safety SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS INFORMATION BULLETIN SUBJ: Flight Compartment Windows SAIB: CE-19-20 Date: December 5, 2019 This is information only. Recommendations aren’t mandatory.

Introduction

This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin alerts owners/operators of windshield failures that have occurred on Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation G-1159A (G-III), G-IV, GIV-X, GV, GV-SP, and GVI airplanes. It also provides information on a new windshield design that should be used if replacement of an existing windshield becomes necessary.

At this time, the airworthiness concern is not an unsafe condition that would warrant airworthiness directive (AD) action under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 39.

Background

Since 2013, the FAA and Gulfstream are aware of at least 20 incidents involving windshield failures. The failures resulted in one or more of the following: arcing, cracking, smoke, and/or small fires. In some cases, this has resulted in diversions or emergency landings. Gulfstream has designed and now manufactures a new windshield with an improved heater terminal block. Since the same windshields are common to multiple models of Gulfstream airplanes, in most cases these new windshields may be used as replacements.

Recommendations

For Pilots: The FAA recommends that because of potential difficulty determining which windshield ply is affected, if you experience a windshield cracking event, assume that a structural windshield ply is affected, and follow the appropriate airplane flight manual emergency procedure (G-1159A (G-III) and G-IV), or abnormal procedure (GIV-X, GV, GV-SP, and GVI), which includes pulling the associated windshield heat circuit breaker.

For Maintenance Personnel: The FAA recommends that when being replaced, use the new design windshields. These windshields have upgraded/redesigned terminal block part numbers: • Windshield (Left), 1159SCB5102‐13 • Windshield (Right), 1159SCB5102‐15

For Further Information Contact

William O. Herderich, Aerospace Engineer, Atlanta ACO Branch, FAA, 1701 Columbia Avenue, College Park, Georgia 30337; phone: (404) 474-5547; fax: (404) 474-5605; email: [email protected]

For Related Service Information Contact

Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, P.O. Box 2206, Savannah, Georgia 31404-2206 telephone: (800) 810-4853; fax 912-965-3520; internet: http://www.gulfstream.com/