UV A/B transmittance in window passenger and windshield

[falleneagle]

Dear colleagues,

I am trying to find out information regarding the protection of window passenger to UVA and UVB. How much is the transmittance of UV A and B in passenger window? and in our windshield cockpits?. Specially interested in Airbus A320.

Many thanks in advance and safe and good flights to all of you!.

[Admiral346]

In the 15 years and 10000h I have flown, I sure got wrinkels, but I never have gotten sunburned.

Nic

[ECAM_Actions]

Good luck obtaining this data!

I know many have tried and failed in the past - no-one will speak openly about this issue.

Maybe PPruNe would be willing to run an anonymous poll in the airline sections asking about this? I'm willing to bet the incidence is higher than we think.

I'm guessing you have a pretty good reason for asking this question...

[zlin77]

Minimal UV Rays pass through glass....not a problem on the flight deck, when you consider we have 3 layers glass/acrylic/glass over 50 mm (2 inches) thick, just relate it back to Automobiles, windows about 6 mm (1/4 inch) thick..we can sit there driving in the Sun all day long and no redness..

[ECAM_Actions]

Reddening of the skin and skin cancer are two different mechanisms. That's all I'm prepared to say (I'm not medically qualified, but know a LOT more on this particular subject than I will post here).

EDIT: In fact, I will not post further publicly on this topic. It is too "hot".

[KBPsen]

It can apparently also cause a propensity for melodrama.

[ECAM_Actions]

You clearly don't know what I know.

Show me one piece of research or official statistic for transmission of UV through a flight deck window of any commercial airliner. You won't find one.

You forget that the strength of UV at 36000 ft is several times greater than it is at ground level.

[KBPsen]

You just posted further publicly on the topic.

[ECAM_Actions]

I found this:

http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA471609

CONCLUSIONS: Both types of windscreens blocked most of the more harmful UV-B radiation; however, glass
laminate windscreens allowed higher levels of potentially damaging UV-A radiation to be transmitted than did
plastic. Professional pilots who routinely fly at higher altitude for longer periods of time than private pilots
should take special precautions to protect their eyes from UV exposure.

July 2007.

[ECAM_Actions]

You just posted further publicly on the topic.

I merely stated what everyone should know, not what I know specifically.

If UV exposure is sufficient for advice to be given to protect eyesight, you can bet it is sufficient to cause skin cancer first. In Australia, the incidence of skin cancer is astronomical compared with cataracts/eye damage due to the sun in the same age groups. I've not heard of people being told to protect their eyes when traveling to Oz. I have certainly heard advice to protect from sun burn though...