Window Tint Made Easy

Skates97

Skates97

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Skates97
I know there are some that have put tint on their windows and others that would like to but are not sure how. I tinted my windows some time back and it makes a big difference. I gave rides around that pattern a few months ago and one of my nieces put some scratches in the tint so I replaced that window tint yesterday. I remembered to take pictures of the process this time and wrote up a step-by-step for anyone wanting to try. For $13.00 you can get a roll of tint from Lowes and have enough that if you mess up a few times you will still have extra left over. Check it out over on my blog.

Window Tinting Made Easy

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I tinted my rear windows too with the cling on stuff you can buy at any automotive store. I don't remember the cost. Maybe $20? Huge difference in heat. Looks really nice too.
 
Thanks for doing this Skates, super helpful to see other folks who have done it. Wish I had seen this in time for tomorrow...
 
Did you do the front windows too, or just the rear?
 
Salty said:
Did you do the front windows too, or just the rear?
Click to expand...

I have seen where some people have done the front and some haven't. I hadn't previously done the fronts all the way. I had a strip about 2" wide along the top of the window, similar to the tinted section across the top of a car car windshield. If you look in the "before" picture you can see it along the top of the pilot's window. After flying around last Wednesday night and spending time looking out the rear windows to see how it would affect things I went ahead and did the front windows this past Saturday. It is the lightest tint they have so it really doesn't darken it too much, but it does make a difference with the sun. (I had extra left over so thought I would give it a try). For the pilot's window there is a section around the vent window where I didn't try to work it around, with the vent window, the outside air temp gauge in front of it I just didn't feel it was worth the time to fit it around it. You can see it on the pilot's window in the "after" picture. The RH side is done completely.

I am going to go fly this Wednesday evening to see what I think. If I think it is affecting it negatively I'll pull it of and just go back to the strip across the top.
 
Nice narrative!

You have emboldened me to try this; it is frickin' hot!
 
I wouldn't do the front if you're flying at night.
 
Emboldened from Skates post, I decided to give this a try today. Weather is beautiful, high 70's and no where to go, so why not? I stopped at Lowes and picked up the smoke shade for $13 and headed to the airport. The only thing I lacked was some dish soap. I tried the potties out at the hangars, drove to the FBO, and finally settled on some foam soap from a dispenser in the FBO bathroom. Oh well, let's give it a try...

I started on the pax side and it went pretty easy. Like anything new, the first time is the hardest. I was pretty happy with the results, although I had to spend a few minutes removing the interior trim before I could get to installing the tint.IMG_6428.JPG IMG_6429.JPG

The other side went even easier since I'd done it once already: IMG_6432.JPG I thought I was on a roll, but then came the rear windows...
IMG_6434.JPG At this point I thought a permanent marker rather than my (sore) thumbnail might be a good idea. It worked OK, although I did use my nail to trace the initial outline. After getting situated in the back of the plane and having forgotten my credit card once already, having to climb out then back in, I started on the pilot's rear window. Uh oh, this isn't going so well. I spritzed down the window and the film but I couldn't get it to cling to the window. I struggled with it for awhile until some of the water/soap mixture began to dry. I'm huffing & sweating and my arms are starting to burn, but finally I got it to adhere to the rear window. Now I had to start moving it into position. After at least 30 minutes, I finally had what I thought was a pretty good fit. With the curves in the rear window, some of the edges just didn't want to adhere, so I had some bubbles.

When I extricated myself from inside the rear of the plane, I found that I hadn't gotten it as good as I thought :eek::
IMG_6437.JPG I was tired, sweaty, and contemplating removing it and doing over. But not today. Even so, it looked pretty good from 5' away.IMG_6436.JPG
IMG_6438.JPG So I called it quits and decided to finish the right side tomorrow while contemplating whether to redo the pilot's side. Overall, it's a cheap, fun little project.

p.s. in a 172 you're going to have to remove the rear seat. Mine was already out thank heavens!
 
Those rear windows look a lot like work! Glad my Bo has none.
 
I wonder how big a compound curve (if any) the stuff can handle. When I'm to the point of installing my bubble Canopy on my Onex kit, tinting would be much better than the shades typically installed. For the price, I'll give it a try.

Cheers
 
I had put tint on the front windows this time but decided to take it off. While I could see out, even at night, it made things a little hazy, which I didn't like. I went back to having just a strip across the top of the window to help with the sun coming in which doesn't affect my view. I also have a strip along the top of the windshield because I don't have any sunscreens. The windshield one is an elliptical shape. I put a piece of blue painter's tape on each side and one in the middle so I had a straight line across, then laid the tint on and used a piece of string to get the shape. The pictures make it look like it the tint on the windshield goes lower than it really does.
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