PPG Ampaspace Unit Awarded Contract for Aermacchi M-346 Transparencies

    PARIS--June 15, 2001--The Ampaspace subsidiary of PPG Industries has been awarded a contract to design and manufacture plastic transparencies for the Aermacchi M-346 military trainer. Ampaspace will produce the windshield, front and rear canopies, and blast barrier at its Casaletto Vaprio, Italy, facility, near Milan.
    According to Danilo Silva, Ampaspace managing director, at full production, the contract is worth about US$1 million annually.
    "PPG transparency design engineers in Huntsville, Ala., (U.S.A.) worked closely with us to develop bending tools needed to achieve the required windshield and canopy contours," Silva said.
    To meet bird-impact design strength to withstand a four-pound bird hit at 340 knots, the windshield is a laminate of two plies of as-cast acrylic with an inner core ply of polycarbonate.
    "Aermacchi has had experience with this design before," Silva said. "The polycarbonate has a high strength-to-weight ratio, and combines high impact resistance with dimensional stability and good mechanical properties. The outboard and inboard acrylic plies protect the polycarbonate from the environment."
    Using the two materials presents forming challenges, Silva added, because acrylic and polycarbonate bend at different temperatures.
    "Our ability to work with Huntsville engineers allows us to draw on PPG's experience developed on such designs as those for the transparencies on the early F-111 and A-10 military aircraft," Silva said.
    The front and rear canopies for the M-346 are low-moisture as-cast acrylic, while the blast barrier is a two-ply polycarbonate laminate with a scratch-resistant coating.
    Ampaspace produced as-cast acrylic parts for installation in the M-346 mockup displayed at this year's Paris Air Show.
    Production of parts for testing is scheduled to begin this summer.
    Aermacchi will conduct bird-impact testing at its simulation facility at Venegono Inferiore, Italy, while PPG will conduct environmental testing at its Huntsville facility.
    "This is a very important contract for PPG Aerospace's Ampaspace subsidiary," Silva said. "Aermacchi previously produced its own plastic transparencies. We are honored that we have been selected to supply the M-346 transparencies."
    Ampaspace, acquired by PPG in 1985, is a longtime producer of acrylic windshields, canopies and windows for civilian and military aircraft.
    PPG is the world's largest fabricator of aircraft windshields, windows and canopies.
    The PPG Aerospace Paris Air Show display includes aircraft windows produced at Ampaspace and at PPG's Huntsville plant.
    Information about aerospace coatings, sealants and application systems from PRC-DeSoto International, also part of PPG's aerospace business unit, is available at the PPG Aerospace exhibit as well June 16 through June 24 at hall 2B, stand H1.

    Internet: www.ppg.com