I would think the "storm window" is somehow connected to the nautical terminology used in the early days of aviation:cool:

-Storm windows are there indeed if your windshield gets iced up and you can't see the runway. That's why most small aircraft with IFR capability have them. With cessna 152 e.g. you're not allowed to fly in icing conditions (no anti-ice installed) thus no storm window installed.

-direct vision panel serve the same purpose, except it's really located in the front of the pilot's vision. The BN Islander is one example i can think of.

-big airplanes usually have windshield and window heating, thus no such panel required.

-an airliner can be flown with windows opened. I've seen this done on a B777 and an A320 in hot climates. And there is a youtube video of such an event also.

If you have seen the DV window opened in flight on either a 777 or an A320 in hot climates,you were dreaming. These aircraft have extremely efficient pressurisation and air conditioning systems, capable of coping with extremes of temperature. The DV window would only be opened in an extreme emergency involving smoke in the cockpit. I am not aware of a single incidence of this situation, on either aircraft. In fact, I am not even sure that the A320 windows can be opened in flight, I do not fly it......

Nice save 777fly, I saw the original post. ;)

While I doubt very much any Pilots would have those windows open in flight, except in an emergency, I have routinely seen them open on the ground while taxiing out on DC9s, especially when we were doing a max weight take off and had the packs off, MAYBE this is the sort of thing Piper19 has seen.

Incidentally Piper19 your comment about windscreen/window heating is incorrect, these Aircraft still have CV windows (well some do anyway), what if the heating is U/S, the windscreen is shattered or just zero visibility through it, I had a DC9 one day that hit a large Brolga (nearly as big as an Emu or Ostrich), that CV window WAS used that day. :ok:

The opening of the side windows in the 737 is a fall-back if you have lost all forward vision, have insufficient fuel for diversion and you have to get it on the runway or crash. Read B737 CL FCTM page 8.30 date October 31, 2006. And if you do not have that publication here is what it says:

"if needed, the windows may be opened in flight, after depressurising the airplane. It is recommended that the airplane be slowed down since the noise levels increase at higher airspeed. .....because of aircraft design, there is an area of relatively calm air over the open window. Forward visibility can be maintained by looking out of the open window using care to stay clear of the airstream."

There is a charge of ten guineas for this information from Centaurus payable to an account in Nigeria... PM me for details:ok:

"Clear View Window" restrictions
 

Regarding the restrictions against opening the "Clear View Window" --

Rummaging around out there on the coffee table, I did locate that issue of _Air Line Pilot_, of July 1948, pg 7:

"In lieu of adequate masks and until such are provided, it is advisable to have the fire axe handy to punch a hole in the forward windshield to provide sufficient oxygen. Do not open the clear view window as you will suck more CO2 into your face. Remember that punching a hole in the forward shield should be a last resort...."


[There had been several inflight fire mishaps, which led to installation of extinguishers; these engineered safety features (the CO2 gas) proved fatal in later use, where pilots did not yet have O2 masks.]

Ingenious! I was wondering how you could poke your head out without being decapitated by the wind!

to have the fire axe handy to punch a hole in the forward windshield

not on any modern aircraft, I suggest ... unless you back up the axe with a few heavy calibre rounds ...

how you could poke your head out

I don't think that is the idea ... more a case of having the hole through which to look .. might take some yawed flight to make it work, depending on Type, but the aim is a successful recovery .. rather than one's normally elegant landing.

Concorde had DV windows. Might have helped during a curved approach if the nose didn't come down properly... although that's never happened due to the belts and braces and bit of string and knife in your pocket approach, that was taken for that particular bit of engineering.

But for those of you who remember the Concorde first days, and final days... they were great for a bit of flag waving... :)

Ahhh, equally ingenous...not being a flier myself, I hadnt considered that the aircraft could be yawed...thanks for the insight, I had been wondering since this thread started, but didnt like to poke my SLF nose into it too much :)

... sir, your SLF goodself is most welcome to participate in this particular sandpit.

The aim here is information transfer and interested/interesting discussion .. we aren't too fussed as to who does the asking ...

So far as the yawed flight is concerned, one might have to fly a sideslipping approach so that the aircraft tracks a straight line to the runway while pointing somewheres else .. so that driver Jim/Jane can keep an eye on where he/she is trying to go ...

allright maybe I'm not following the right term of "DV window" here. I was referring to it as a small sliding piece in the window pane, but apparently it is something else? Can anyone put up a picture for me then, or a link?
Anyway here a video of a 739 flying with the side windows open: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZhOG...eature=related

COMMON GUYS, THIS IS SIMPLE.......


HOW ELSE ARE YOU GOING TO SIGN THE FUEL BILL?

HOW YOU GONNA MAKE SURE THE ATTENDENT CHECKS THE OIL AND TYRE PRESSURES?

:ok:

Piper19,

The link you posted shows the window open. :ok:

http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/2255/dc9si3.jpg

This is the DC9, the 3 "windows" from the front are the fixed "windscreen" (you can see the wiper on it, then the "cv window" which opens inwards and slides back out of the way, then at the rear (and above too) a "fixed window". :ok:

I doubt if yawing to get a better look out front will help except get a blast of 140 knots air into your eyes due to the angle of airflow caused by the yaw.

Why thank you, kind fellow! This sandpit surely must take the award for being the friendliest on PPRuNe! :ok:

Or observing vegetation…

Not precisely on-subject, but these two accidents have stuck in my head since I first read the reports ages ago. This thread reminded me of them. When you’re trying to find the localizer and foliage appears outside your window, well, that’s probably a surprise... :eek:

January l2 1937, Newhall, California (just southeast of the Magic Mountain area in Los Angeles County), a Western Air Express Boeing 247B descending into Burbank:

The pilot stated that when the range signals came on, he heard three distinct Ns and realized that he was east of his course and probably over the higher mountains to the southeast of Saugus and east of Newhall pass. According to the testimony of the pilot, he immediately started a turn in order to get over lower terrain and back on course. At almost the same moment, he stated that he sighted two bushes out of the left window which was open and knew that a collision with the ground was imminent. (Original US CAA report of 12 May 1937 does not carry a File Number)

Yup. It was.

January 5, 1941, in almost exactly the same place as the other accident, a United Airlines Lockheed Loadstar also descending into Burbank:

The captain later stated that he became concerned over the situation, especially since he did not receive a signal from the Newhall Pass Fan Marker, and that he then thought it advisable to discontinue the instrument let-down. He had by this time leveled out at 4500 feet. He glanced out the window and saw something dark which, he subsequently stated, he thought was a break. He glanced at the altimeter which read, so he states, 4200 feet and pulled the nose up. He opened his side window for better vision but could see nothing. He then looked ahead and, at that instant, saw a tree in line with the left motor, just as the aircraft struck it with the left propeller and landing gear. He pulled up rapidly and opened the throttles wide. The first officer raised the landing gear. After the initial zoom and subsequent leveling off, the captain turned right to 270 degrees and held that heading until he had reached an altitude of approximately 5500 feet. He then turned left to 180 degrees and climbed straight ahead until he was on top of the overcast. (US CAA File No. 331-41)

Again, I admit this isn’t a CV window story, but these two accidents always give me shivers…

Dave

You never had the pleasure of flying the Lockheed L1011 then?