"UP" Looking windows..

[PhatAJ2008]

Why do some of the older planes have windows looking further up than just the windsheild? I see the newer planes only have a windshield, without the smaller, "up" looking windows..

 

[Pugh]

I think these were used to give the pilots a better look at any traffic that's above. With the advent of TCAS I don't think its worth the extra weight and heat that comes through from the sunlight, so that's why 717s and newer 737NGs don't have these windows.

 

[FearlessFreep]

"Eyebrow" windows. For better visibility - see (at least to a small extent) other traffic that might be above you. Looking ahead of you while on descent at lower pitch angles, see the airport & environs while in turns, etc, etc.

The real decent ones are on the DC-8, DC-9/MD80 etc type aircraft. They are much bigger and more workable then the smaller ones I have seen on 707, 727, 737's.

All of Boeing's eyebrow windows are on the way out (I believe that they are only installed on the 737 series right now). A while back I saw an article that said that Boeing will no longer install them as a standard item on the 737. They stated that the functionality did not meet the expense of manufacturing.

 

[CLECA]

CAL already has some 73's minus the turning windows. they were thought to increase visibility at the same altitude while in a turn

 

[Wasted]

The eyebrow windows had nothing to do with traffic. The original purpose of the eybrow windows were so that navigators could shoot stars with sextants for celestial navigation purposes. Do realize that these planes, 707s, 727s, 737s, etc. were all developed in the 50s and 60s, before GPSs, or IRSs became commonplace for long range navigation. Since hardly anybody shoots stars anymore, their functionality no longer meets the expense of manufacturing.

 

[FN FAL]

GJs

Frick

shoot

motherFricker

ass

penis

bitch

********************

Hmmmmm....isn't there a CRJ that you could crash into some houses, dude?

 

[TonyC]

The eyebrow windows had nothing to do with traffic. The original purpose of the eybrow windows were so that navigators could shoot stars with sextants for celestial navigation purposes. Do realize that these planes, 707s, 727s, 737s, etc. were all developed in the 50s and 60s, before GPSs, or IRSs became commonplace for long range navigation. Since hardly anybody shoots stars anymore, their functionality no longer meets the expense of manufacturing.

Ummmmm...


The sextant port was used (is used) for "shooting stars". The sextant port was located in the "ceiling" aft of the engineer's station. The sextant port is a hole, slightly smaller in diameter than a chicken egg. When a boiled egg is held up to the opening, and the sextant port opened, the differential pressure at altitude is sufficient to propel the egg a significant distance away from the airplane. Don't ask me how I know this.

Also, don't ask me how long it takes a roll of toilet paper suspended by a pencil to unroll and fully deploy through a sextant port when the end of the roll is held up to the opening. Whether it was three seconds or four is hard to remember.

A sextant is also useful for watching airplanes that are flying directly or nearly directly behind an airplane with no rear-facing windows. While the pilots of those airplanes might think they were being stealthy, they were being watched all along. Again... you know the drill



Windows are to see out of.





.

 

[FN FAL]

lets 410 it

If you drive, I'll skydive out of the mofo...

 

[FearlessFreep]

Tony C,

ROFL!!!

Was the boiled egg peeled or still in the shell (just joking)? The TP streamer sounds like fun!

Some other things sextant ports have been/are used for:

Heard of a guy that would smoke on the flight deck (when that was allowed) and he had rigged up a funnel and hose to the sextant port to evacuate the offending smoke.

A handy vacuum cleaner - that is until all sorts of paper clips, staples and who knows what else was found embedded in the leading edge of the vertical stab.

"SMOKE EVACUATION PORT" as placarded on some of our aircraft and referred to usage in the QRH for "Smoke In The Cockpit"

I hear that having the port open is pretty loud.

 

[2000flyer]

Ummmmm...


The sextant port was used (is used) for "shooting stars". The sextant port was located in the "ceiling" aft of the engineer's station. The sextant port is a hole, slightly smaller in diameter than a chicken egg. When a boiled egg is held up to the opening, and the sextant port opened, the differential pressure at altitude is sufficient to propel the egg a significant distance away from the airplane. Don't ask me how I know this.

Thats too funny. A friend of mine was a former KC135 commander. A crewmember would always come through and collect the hard boiled eggs from the box lunches and launch them over whatever city they may be departing. After the brass nixed that, he found that a little baby oil on uncooked egg shells worked quite well. The crew chief wasn't pleased with all the splattered eggs along the fuselage and tail.

2000Flyer