King Air C90GTx, King Air 250, and King Air 350i will come equipped with Electronically Dimmable Windows (EDWs) invented by Research Frontiers and supplied by InspecTech Aero Service. The windows use patented SPD-Smart light-control technology and were exhibited by Beechcraft at the recent European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (EBACE).
The technology is applied to cabin windows and partitions and makes use of SPD-Smart light-control film technology to control light levels. With a push of a button, the shading can go from clear to over 99.9% light blockage. Passengers can adjust to any desired level of daylight coming from the window with an instant response time. It avoids the pitfalls of traditional mechanical window systems by having no moving parts and being made of lightweight substrates. In addition, SPD-Smart EDWs include thermal and acoustic insulation which help to create a cooler, less noisy cabin.
InspecTech’s FAQ page includes a technical description of how the EDW technology works:
The SPD film layer in Smart aircraft windows could be called a “light valve.” In the film, droplets of liquid suspension are distributed. Light-absorbing microscopic particles are dispersed within the liquid suspension. The SPD emulsion is enclosed between two plastic substrates coated with a transparent conductive material. The particles are randomly oriented due to Brownian motion and absorb 99% – 99.9% of visible light hitting window. When an electrical voltage is applied, the particles align due to a field effect and light passes through the window. This gives users a range of transparency where light transmission can be rapidly varied depending upon the amount of voltage applied.
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About Research Frontiers Inc.
Research Frontiers is the developer of SPD-Smart light-control technology which allows users to instantly, precisely and uniformly control the shading of glass or plastic, either manually or automatically. Research Frontiers has built an infrastructure of over 40 licensed companies that collectively are capable of serving the growing global demand for smart glass products in automobiles, homes, buildings, museums, aircraft and boats.