When we wash our windows at home, we usually have a cleaner of choice. It might be a commercial product like Windex, or a homemade concoction that includes white vinegar and other natural products.
Washing your car windows might call for Rain-X or some other specially made-for-cars liquid, or a DIY approach such as isopropyl alcohol.
But if you’re a pilot and you’re washing the windows of your plane, it’s a whole other ballgame – one streak or smudge or bug splatter could make a dangerous difference. So what do pilots use? Soda.
More specifically, soda water (a.k.a. club soda, sparkling water, or seltzer).
Why do they use soda water?
Because science!
The carbonation in sparkling water helps to gently loosen and lift the dirt, grime, and bug guts that get stuck to the window surfaces. Meanwhile, the small amount of mineral content in club soda acts as a gentle cleaning agent without harsh chemicals.
Will any soda work?
Well, they wouldn’t want to use regular soda, like Coca-Cola or even a clear soda like Sprite—they’re going to leave a sticky residue, and that’s going to attract dirt faster.
Sparkling water and the like have far fewer additives, no sugar, etc. So they’re neutral and mild enough to get the job done.
Is this safe?
Plane windshields aren’t like the glass in your home windows – they’re either laminated or acrylic/polycarbonate. They also have specialized coatings for strength, anti-fogging, and heat resistance, so they need extra-special care.
A pilot wouldn’t want to use soda water to clean the windshield all the time, but it’s a good quick fix, as needed (say there are bug splatters in their line of sight, maintenance hasn’t arrived, and the plane is about to depart), provided they wipe it off.
Here’s some more information about it:
It might sound a little odd, but when it comes to flying, clear windows aren’t optional—and soda water is sometimes the quickest fix.
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