AviationGlass & Technology (AGT), a Dutch company that specializes in glass products for the aviation industry, has unveiled an AeroGlass Mirror that can replace any existing plastic mirror, regardless of its thickness or size, while reducing its original weight. The use of glass also brings benefits in terms of scratch resistance and shatterproof properties, according to the company.
Polycarbonate mirrors in lavatories have thicknesses varying between 2-3mm while AeroGlass Mirrors are 0.95mm and up to 43% lighter than a 3mm plastic alternative, says AGT. This discrepancy in thickness often means that glass mirrors do not fit into the existing mirror assembly space in a lavatory. To overcome this retrofit challenge, AviationGlass has developed a new stacked version of its AeroGlass Mirror. The mirror is fixed to a layer of foam in order to match the thickness of the original plastic mirror and uses the same mounting system, making it easy and fast to install. The smooth edges of the glass mirrors removes the need for aluminum casings, which can bring about further savings of up to 4kg per Boeing 777 shipset, says AGT. The stacked mirror has passed relevant impact, burn and heat release tests and can be delivered with an EASA Form 1 or Certificate of Conformity (COC).
