The extreme engineering of aircraft windows
Summary
In May, a chemical tank holding a toxic material at GKN Aerospace's plant near Los Angeles overheated and nearly exploded, causing over 50,000 people to evacuate. GKN, one of the few companies that make aircraft windows, still has limited production due to the incident, affecting the aircraft industry.Key Facts
- A chemical tank with more than 7,000 gallons of a toxic substance (methyl methacrylate or MMA) at GKN Aerospace overheated in late May.
- The tank reached 100°F (38°C) and bulged, prompting a large evacuation of Garden Grove residents.
- Firefighters cooled the tank to prevent an explosion, and luckily, no explosion happened.
- GKN Aerospace halted production of aircraft windows at the site, operating at about 50% capacity months later.
- GKN and local authorities set up a $100 million program to compensate evacuated residents.
- GKN is one of only a few companies worldwide that produce aircraft windows, which are important for plane safety.
- Boeing and Airbus said they are monitoring the situation and supporting GKN to reduce production impacts.
- The aircraft window market is highly regulated and hard for new companies to enter, making supply chain disruptions significant.
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