B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 193; Flight Crew Total 9077; Flight Crew Type 6293
Communication Breakdown
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General Flight Cancelled / Delayed; General Maintenance Action
Human Factors; Aircraft; Procedure
This is my 2nd [report] regarding 757 cockpit windows. The problem is the same. The narrative is the same. Why has Maintenance not caught this in their own inspection procedures? There are three questions raised by this incident: 1. How often are the cockpit windows themselves inspected for bubbles; arcing and delamination. 2. Is there standard guidance on what is acceptable and what is not? 3. How does an airplane that has to be taken out of service for a window replacement make it through our current maintenance practices and be presented for a revenue flight in this condition when it passes through a maintenance base on every leg it flies? I'll start with number 3 first. The 757's pass thru our hubs every day and usually every leg except for the odd [Airport Code] or [Airport Code] flight. Still [Company Name] maintenance stations. Every leg a mechanic is charged to certify that the aircraft is safe for flight both structurally and legally. If so; and assuming the window's delamination process is slow and gradual and didn't happen that moment at the gate that day; how is this being overlooked; both by mechanics and pilots alike? Is there a process to inspect the cockpits regularly for structural; safety and 'must have for dispatch' items like life vests; paper; mini-tel headsets and the like? In this incident; the first mechanic said it was fine for dispatch. I reminded him that a structural window needed a mechanic with Inspector Authority to sign it off. He was the one that ordered a detailed inspection that eventually resulted in the aircraft being taken out of service. How did the gate mechanic not know that an IA (Inspection Authorization) needed to look at it? What guidance and process do the Line Mechanics have? Finally; number one: How often are the windows looked at for bubbles; milky areas and delamination? This milky delamination is caused by moisture getting in between the layers. Enough moisture freezing and thawing and then you get cracks or elements shorting out. The 3' rule on delamination bubbles is great; but milky areas are a window that is coming delaminated.
Flight Crew Member concerned about the process in place to inspect and maintain cockpit windows by an Air Carrier.