Today’s PotD is about the eyebrow windows of the Boeing 737.

Eyebrow windows are 2 little

windows that are installed above both pilots’ the front windshield and side windows. The concept of
the eyebrow windows stem from the 1950s. The first planes to have them were the Boeing 707 and
the Boeing 727. The idea came from both Boeing and the FAA went it came to the aircraft flying
visual approaches and circuit that required tight turns.

When a plane turns when close to the ground, seeing what’s outside becomes an issue if you are
flying in the opposite direction versus what side on the aircraft you are seeing. Say you are flying
from the right-hand seat, and you are doing a left-hand turn. If you look outside the Captain’s side
window, all you would be able to see is the ground right below you. To see more towards the
horizon, the pilot on the right would have to lean forward and duck their head downwards a bit to
see more of the horizon (and vice versa of course. And of course, if you were sitting on the left, you
could see a better view on that side.) However, that becomes a little bit uncomfortable and a bit
impractical. So, this was the solution. They were useful, especially here in Australia if you were flying
about 20+ years ago.

(Picture: 737 with eyebrow windows during a visual approach. Can you see the airport? I could when
I was flying this.)
(Picture: 737 without eyebrow windows.)

(Picture: What I would have to do to see the runway.)

However, a big drawback for these windows was that during the day, the sunlight would enter the
cockpit, which caused glare and heat to be directly set on top of you. In fact, pilots used to put paper
charts, checklists, newspapers and even homemade visors to block out the sun inflight. However, as
glass cockpits were introduced with the 737 Classic and the 737NG, along with the introduction of
the first Flight Management Computer system with GPS at the same time as the Classics, along with
more airports installing ILSs, they pretty much became useless. Pilot then gave feedback to airlines,
who gave feedback to Boeing, saying that they weren’t being used very often. So, in 2004, they were
officially no longer a standard option when an airline would order a 737 – they were put out of the
design. Of course, they could still be installed with the customer wants them. There was also a
solution for the 737s built before 2004. Boeing said that airlines could ‘plug’ them, making them
‘plugged eyebrow windows’. The solution? Simply replace the glass with aluminium on the outside
and with material on the inside.
This solution also had cost-saving positives aswell. They reduced the aircraft’s weight by about 9
kilograms if plugged. However, it also saved maintenance costs and manhours. These windows
needed to be maintained and cleaned by maintenance personal because of their position of being
high up. Because, they were high up, if pilots were to use water to clean them, they would risk water
entering the cockpit via the side windows that the pilots would have been using. So, it also saved
costs and 300 manhours. And that was the end of the classic eyebrow windows.

(PH-XRB - Transavia 737-700 - 2nd February 2010 - ©️Danijel Jovanovic on jetphotos.com)