Summary Box: Despite complaints, FAA has yet to order airlines to act on cockpit fires

Summary Box: FAA slow on cockpit fires

WHAT’S WRONG: The heaters on airliner cockpit windows have been smoking and even catching fire for at least eight years, but the Federal Aviation Administration still has not issued a rule to fix the problem.

WHY IT MATTERS: The malfunctions can fill the cockpit with smoke, force an emergency landing, and cause one ply of the windshield to crack.

WHAT’S NEXT: The FAA hopes to issue a final rule next month that will mandate a fix for the problem, which is believed to be a loose screw chafing power wires connected to the window heater.