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If you wish to have work done you must get on the work list, We do not call
customers back when we are passing thru an area to see if they want work done, I
do not like to bug a customer or sell by pushing people into it. You know how
bad your windows are I don't.
If you want to check us out go to the Beech owners group on the net or the
ABS group and see what people we have done work for say.
We do not give out names and phone numbers of customers, If you have a past
customer at your Airport and He or She wants us to give out there name then we
will.
Jim Klug is the owner and does the installations, He has been working on
Beech planes for 36 years.
Windshields.......
This is an example of a early model Beechcraft windshield
installation. It could be any aircraft model 35, 33, 55, 56, or 95. Beechcraft
did not use the sloped style windshield until the 1968 models. The window is
available in 1/2, 3/8, inch thick as well as clear, gray and the Beech factory
color green. Note that some aircraft had clear windshields with green tinted
side windows. I have not seen any late model aircraft with any color other than
green. ( P-58 Barons have gold colored windows) . On the older models with the
old style instrument panel with the solid riveted in defroster. This
installation removes that defroster and replaces it with a new one mounted
forward of the old one. This makes it easy to remove the new style glare shield
to perform any work on the instrument panel.
The
Base of the new windshield is finished off with a formed aluminum faring strip
that is riveted to the aircraft cowl. The interior trim strips are put back in
place along with a new glare shield and compass mount to complete the job. Note
that on Early Debonair and late model Travelairs models Beechcraft did not
supply the interior trim and to finish the job this will be needed. On some
aircraft that have had windshield replaced the trim was not reinstalled and they
will need new ones to finish the job.
The Late model aircraft 1968 and after have two types of
installations available. One uses the factory frame and on the thicker windows
1/2, 3/8, inch the original was 1/4 inch thick the windshield is milled down to
1/4 where it goes in the factory
frame
and then is riveted back into the airframe. On the other the window is larger
and the rivets are replaced with 6-32 counter sunk machine screws with tinnerman
nuts and washers. 1/4 inch holes counter sunk on both side in the window along
with a rubber type of glue hold it in place. This type of installation properly
done looks no different than the factory type other than the flat screw heads
instead of rivets.
The drilled type of installation work well if done by someone
that has followed the instructions for the replacement. But the milled edge
install is by far the best. If you use the drilled edge type you have forever
changed the Aircraft and to return it to the original will cost a lot. The
thicker windows add some weight but 8 to 16 pounds buys a lot of bird
protection. As a rule 3/8 inch thick is great but if you are replacing the
window because big bird just went through it you may think 1/2 is not to
thick. Another plus for thicker windows is the sound reduction.
One other thing to know is that all windshields
are not created equal the good ones are made from aircraft grade plastic not the
cheaper commercial grade. Cheap windows are still cheap windows.
The work is done in St. Louis and West Palm Beach area, We no longer travel
to the aircraft.
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