NEWS
2018 – NATCT, Chicago-O'Hare International
PV-128 SCS-400™ with Wheeled Hembars at NATCT, Chicago-O'Hare International, IL
In 2018 Plastic-View ATC received the single largest contract for ATCT window shades in FAA history for the North ATCT (NATCT) at Chicago-O’Hare International Airport. The project was years in the making and included extended ongoing communications and personal discussions with the architects, FAA operations personnel, and air traffic controllers who all wanted a state-of-the-art shade solution that complemented the unique design of their facility.
With single piece panes of glass exceeding 18’ in width, 11’ in height, and sloped at 30 degrees, the project posed significant engineering challenges never before faced by a window shade manufacturer. Due in part to the FAA field evaluation of very successful installations of the PV-128 SCS-400™ Motorized Shade System at high profile ATCTs like McCarran Int’l in Las Vegas, San Francisco Int’l, Dulles Int’l in Washington D.C., and Los Angeles Int’l, the FAA awarded the contract to Plastic-View.
Working closely with our partners for many months, Plastic-View designed a customized version of the
PV-128 SCS-400™ Motorized Shade System that met all of the FAA’s requirements and preferences. It featured impressive operational speed with highly customized advanced technology, individual and group controls, and an innovative hembar wheel system for glass slope simulation that eliminated contact between the shade and window. The unique design of this control tower allowed us to intelligently overlap the shades so that there are zero side light gaps.
The project involved advanced planning and coordination of several trades, including the installation team, electrical rehab work, and crane operating services. The crane was necessary to airlift window shades that were as wide as 18’ to the top of the 225’ high ATCT cab roof. The window shades were so wide that bringing them up in the elevators was not an option; they had to be brought in through a roof hatch.
The installation of the shades themselves was very difficult and required custom made scaffolding and a team of highly skilled and experienced installers. Due to the high traffic volumes at Chicago-O’Hare, work had to be performed at night between 10 pm and 5 am, which added to the challenge.
Starting in early December and finishing in under a week, the installation was completed ahead of schedule and yielded fantastic results. Plastic-View wrapped up a record breaking year in 2018 with the most complex and technically challenging installation in our 71 year history and one the FAA proclaimed as “very successful.”
2018 – GSA BUYING OPTION NOW AVAILABLE!
Plastic-View is proud to announce that our ATCT shades are now available on GSA schedule.
Contact us for details!
Plastic-View shades at Lambeau Field, WI
2016 & 2018 – Green Bay Packers
When management at Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers, wanted a way to protect the expensive interior furnishings in their luxury suites, they turned to Plastic-View and its partners in 2016. They approved our Triplex Black/Silver/Black 8 material. This is just one of many shade materials offered by Plastic-View that blocks out over 99% of the sun’s harmful UV rays, one of the major contributors to fading of interior furnishings.
The attractive shade material also preserved and even improved the view out to the field by dramatically reducing sun glare. Guests in the luxury suites have the option of raising the motorized shades (and windows) on Sundays to experience the full exciting sound of gameday. Both can also be lowered when outside weather conditions are too extreme. The shades remain down the rest of the time to protect the interior furnishings. In all, Plastic-View was proud to supply over 400 custom made shades for the historic football stadium.
The results were so positive that again in 2018, Plastic-View and its partners are supplying several more similar shades for the broadcasting booths at Lambeau Field.
Plastic-View shades at Lambeau Field, WI
2016 – McCarran ATCT, Las Vegas, NV (new construction project)
McCarran International Airport has grown to be one of the busiest in the U.S. In 2016, construction completed on a massive, cutting edge new ATCT to help handle the increasing volumes of air traffic. The state-of-the-art facility featured a circular cab design with 18 butt-jointed windows to maximize a 360 degree view out for air traffic controllers. This design also presented a special challenge when it came to window coverage with shades.
The FAA needed an equally state-of-the art window shade system. They turned to Plastic-View and awarded us with, at the time, the single largest contract for cab shades in FAA history. Plastic-View and its partners provided the third major implementation of our proprietary PV-128 SCS-400™ Motorized Shade System, which included high speed motors, Spring Box™ technology, and a highly customized control package. The installation included 18 double shades and careful overlapping of primary shades to achieve virtually full window coverage. The result was the finest ATCT cab shade installation ever completed in the U.S.