An aircraft includes the aircraft component. The aircraft component includes an outer skin portion, a plurality of major stiffeners, and a plurality of minor stiffeners. The outer skin portion has an interior side and an exterior side configured to define an exterior boundary of the aircraft. The major stiffeners are integral with the outer skin portion and extend out from the interior side. The major stiffeners are configured to resist global deflection of the aircraft component in response to a bird strike on the aircraft component. The minor stiffeners are disposed between the major stiffeners, are integral with the outer skin portion, and extend out from the interior side. The minor stiffeners are configured to resist perforation of the aircraft component in response to the bird strike on the aircraft component.

A pyrotechnic egress system for a structure may comprise an explosive cord, an outer sheath disposed about the explosive cord, and a stress concentrator coupled to the outer sheath. The stress concentrator may comprise a triangular cross section. The stress concentrator may include a standoff structure.

A system includes a robotic arm of a robotic device, an imaging device coupled to the robotic arm, and a processor configured to control movement of the robotic arm to move the imaging device along a preprogrammed measurement path of a transparency while prompting the imaging device to record images of localized portions of the transparency. The processor is configured to determine one or more localized transparency characteristics based on an analysis of the images of the localized portions.

An aeronautical glazing unit includes at least one sheet of modified acrylic, wherein the sheet is combined with at least one other sheet of modified acrylic, and/or at least one sheet of cast poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), and/or at least one sheet of another transparent polymer such as polycarbonate (PC), and/or at least one sheet of glass in particular that is chemically strengthened, as a laminated and/or multiple glazing unit.

To prevent stress concentrations in the structure of an aircraft, an aircraft windshield assembly includes a peripheral frame, a windshield surrounded by the peripheral frame, the windshield comprising panes having respective lateral edges facing each other and respective other edges attached to the peripheral frame, and a pillar formed of at least one respective fishplate that covers the respective lateral edges facing each other and is bolted to the respective lateral edges facing each other, with no connection to the peripheral frame other than via the panes.

A method of forming a filter, comprising the steps of: selecting at least a first wavelength corresponding to a predetermined laser threat and having a first colour in the visible spectrum; providing a generally transparent substrate and forming a first notch filter region therein configured to substantially block incident radiation thereon of wavelengths within a first predetermined wavelength band including said first wavelength; selecting a second wavelength having a second colour in the visible spectrum and forming a colour balancing notch filter region in said substrate configured to block incident radiation thereon of wavelengths within a wavelength band including said second wavelength, thereby to balance or neutralise any colour distortion of said substrate caused by said first notch filter region.

An aircraft windshield wiper system includes a wiper arm, a wiper blade coupled to a first end of the wiper arm, and an output shaft coupled to a second end of the wiper arm. The wiper blade includes a fluid dispensing system including nozzles, a fluid control unit, fluid lines, fluid source, and a user interface. The wiper blade with the fluid dispensing system is configured to dispense a variety of fluids directly from the wiper blade onto the windshield of an aircraft.

Various implementations described herein are directed to an aircraft. The aircraft includes an airframe; and a windshield system having a transparent canopy coupled to the airframe and a transparent inner panel having a portion thereof disposed within the transparent canopy and coupled to the airframe.

A network system for monitoring and storing data of aircraft intelligent windows or windshields to provide useable life of, provide real life performance of, and/or measure characteristics and/or properties of, the windshields forwards the data from sensors mounting the windshield to a window sensing hub having a microprocessor programmed to receive and process the data to determine the performance of the windshield and formatting the data in accordance to a preset program, wherein the program includes providing data from the sensors that measures characteristics and properties of the windshield that are active during the period in which the data is taken. An aircraft central maintenance system connected to the window sensing hub receives the formatted information from the window sensing hub and unfiltered or unformatted information, wherein the unfiltered information from the windshield is acted on by the central maintenance system to provide an estimated useable life of the windshield.

A passenger supply unit for an aircraft cabin, including an input device for detecting a control command from a passenger, and for outputting a control signal to a further device for controlling the further device according to the control command. A passenger supply unit can be controlled by a passenger independent of its height above the passenger seat. The unit can be independent from an in-flight entertainment system. The input device includes a contact free sensor to detect the control command without being contacted by a passenger.