A protective windshield film used by NASCAR racing drivers is going into service on the windshields of US Army Blackhawk helicopters on duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. The clear plastic film, used to prevent flying debris from impairing the visibility of race drivers, was pioneered by Pro-Tint Inc., a company with just 14 employees that came up with tear-away windshield film in the late 1990s. The multilayer product is now used by virtually all Nextel Cup teams. Instead of replacing a scratched and pitted windshield, race teams simply peel off a layer of the protective film to reveal a new, clear layer of film underneath. Recently, Pro-Tint joined forces with United Protective Technologies, another small firm, to produce a thicker and more complex Mylar protective film for military helicopters. This article is available from: www.glassonline.com
