Windshield

plongson

plongson

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Jan 8, 2022
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KCDC, Southern Utah
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plongson
We bought the full set of windows for our Cherokee and my son and I replaced all the side windows, which came out amazing BTW. The wind screen was installed by a shop at the airfield (not here but out of state where the plane is now). The pelican who did the work scratched the left side windscreen and then tried to rub on it with probably a shop rag and made a 5"x1" foggy spot...GRRR...!@#$%. Just because they are working on aircraft doesn't necessarily mean they are the sharpest knife.

Can this be buffed out or does this plastic have a hard coat like on good motorcycle windshields?
 
Yes, the foggy spot can be buffed out with a series of wet sanding. It's done all the time. The scratch itself, depending on the depth, could be another matter. If its deep enough it could be a point of stress cracking in the future. If it's very shallow it may be possible to sand it out as well.

I would look at the scratch carefully because it may make sense just to replace the window now, rather than dealing with a stress crack sometime down the road.
 
plongson said:
It's only been one day and we're waiting to see what the response is. Hopefully it's not a big deal and they stand behind their work.

pel·i·can
/ˈpeləkən/
Learn to pronounce

noun
  1. A general dumbass. They can sometimes be observed installing windscreens on aircraft.
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I have never heard or seen that definition. When I hear or read the word pelican in relation to aircraft maintenance, I immediately think of John Deakin and his Pelican's Perch column.
 
Since they are new, I'd check with the manufacturer. They can be polished, but there are better and worse products for the job. Also, I'd be leery of having the guys that messed it up, fixing it. If they are not careful enough installing it, they are unlikely to be the right folks to do a good job of fixing.
 
It can be polished.............but doing so will ALWAYS produce a distortion. They owe you a new windshield.
 
plongson said:
Ha...ya, it's just a slang term I throw around to describe a knucklehead...kind'a like Dingbat.
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Now, those terms I am familiar with. I’ve been called the first (more than once) and grew up with sisters who qualified as the latter.
 
plongson said:
Can this be buffed out or does this plastic have a hard coat like on good motorcycle windshields?
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There are methods to polish out that type damage with better results on plexiglass windows vs lexan. But as noted above the result will leave some optical distortion. Given this happened during a new windshield install your mx provider should make this right to your satisfaction. Whether that is a new window or a free install is up to you. Remember you'll be looking out that windshield for quite some time into the future.
 
Every year our shop scratched a side window with the headliner bow during annual. Every year they denied it, until I pointed out how it was done.
That shop should fix it, or replace it, period. Probably replace.
 
Maguires flight jacket is a decent product for working out a scuffed non-glass window. I'd give it a try and if it doesn't work out,then take it back and tell them you tried to live with it, but they're going to have to replace it or refund it.
 
Der Fliegermeister said:
Maguires flight jacket is a decent product for working out a scuffed non-glass window. I'd give it a try and if it doesn't work out,then take it back and tell them you tried to live with it, but they're going to have to replace it or refund it.
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I'd take it back to the shop before touching it in any way. Don't give them a reason to blame you.
 
If they give you pushback, tell them you are going to file a claim on their shops insurance. Anything less than anew windscreen is unacceptable to me. You bought a new windscreen. Upon delivery, I want a new windscreen.


It’s not a hard thing to do. It’s the money involved that they probably don’t want to eat.
 
Eating it is why they get paid the big bucks!
 
plongson said:
The owner is back today...he is going to stand behind it. First, he's gonna discount the install and he is going to try and buff the fog/hazy appearance. If that does not work, they'll replace the windshield.
Ya can't ask for more than that...
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Yes, you can.

They can remove a damage windscreen and replace it with a new one. Your bird, your money though.
 
plongson said:
If that does not work, they'll replace the windshield.
Ya can't ask for more than that...
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I agree. Let them try to get it right. If not satisfactory they’ll replace it. That’s reasonable.
 
Well, they tries to buff it out with some wazoo polishing stuff and ruined BOTH right and left windscreens. New set on order and they are standing behind the issue. Gonna take 4 weeks to get the new windscreen though. It can still be flown in the mean time. Sucks, but it is what it is...
 
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