The windshield of the cockpit of the medium-haul MS-21-310 is one of the most technologically complex elements. It is not even just glass, but a high-strength pentaplex designed for extreme loads, the United Aircraft Corporation (OAK, part of Rostec) said.
The MS-21 glass is a "sandwich" of three layers of glass and two bonding interlayers. The two outer layers are made of silicate glass, while the inner one is made of polycarbonate.
This design makes it possible to withstand impacts, sharp temperature changes, and pressure at altitude. In addition, the glass is equipped with an electric heating system that prevents icing and fogging during flights in difficult weather conditions.
To increase the strength of the glass, ion-exchange strengthening technology is used. It makes the glass 6 to 8 times stronger than ordinary glass and makes it possible to create products with complex geometry.
The production of one windshield takes several days and includes dozens of operations. One of the key stages is lamination, when a special film is placed between the layers, after which the blank undergoes pressing in an autoclave, OAK explained.
Earlier, www1.ru wrote that the MS-21 glass successfully withstood a bird strike at a speed of more than 600 km/h. Not even a trace was left on the surface.
Meanwhile, the certification level of the MS-21-310 was estimated at almost 70%. Four experimental aircraft are taking part in the tests at once, checking the machines under different loads in extreme conditions.
Read more materials on the topic:
- Russia created its own TCAS for the MS-21: without it, aircraft are prohibited from flying
- The new MS-21 was sent for testing in the Arctic
- "Russia is destined to become a great aviation power"
