Aircraft
Certification Service Washington, DC U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration
CE-19-20
December 5, 2019
This is information only. Recommendations
aren’t mandatory.
Introduction
This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin alerts owners/operators
of windshield failures that have occurred on Gulfstream Aerospace
Corporation G-1159A (G-III), G-IV, GIV-X, GV,
GV-SP, and GVI airplanes. It also provides information on a new
windshield design that should be used if replacement of an existing
windshield becomes necessary.
At this time, the airworthiness concern is not an unsafe condition that
would warrant airworthiness directive (AD) action under Title 14 of the
Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 39.
Background
Since 2013, the FAA and Gulfstream are aware of at least 20 incidents
involving windshield failures. The failures resulted in one or more of
the following: arcing, cracking, smoke, and/or small fires. In some
cases, this has resulted in diversions or emergency landings.
Gulfstream has designed and now manufactures a new windshield with an
improved heater terminal block. Since the same windshields are common
to multiple models of Gulfstream airplanes, in most cases these new
windshields may be used as replacements.
Recommendations
For Pilots: The FAA recommends that because of potential difficulty
determining which windshield ply is affected, if you experience a
windshield cracking event, assume that a structural windshield ply is
affected, and follow the appropriate airplane flight manual emergency
procedure (G-1159A (G-III) and G-IV), or abnormal procedure (GIV-X, GV,
GV-SP, and GVI), which includes pulling the associated windshield heat
circuit breaker.
For Maintenance Personnel: The FAA recommends that when being replaced,
use the new design windshields. These windshields have
upgraded/redesigned terminal block part numbers:
Windshield (Left), 1159SCB5102‐13
Windshield (Right), 1159SCB5102‐15
For Further Information Contact
William O. Herderich, Aerospace Engineer, Atlanta ACO Branch, FAA, 1701
Columbia Avenue, College Park, Georgia 30337; phone: (404) 474-5547;
fax: (404) 474-5605; email: william.o.herderich@faa.gov
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