HOUSTON How comforting would it be to know that the plane you are on is patched up with what looks like duct tape? That s exactly what a Houston woman was asking on a flight to St. Louis Thursday night.
Nicole Cintron admits that she doesn t care so much for the friendly skies.
I don t really fly well all the time, she said.
So after getting her first flight canceled when she walked down the jet way to board her next option she checked out the front of the plane through the window.
I just happened to notice. Is that duct tape on the window? Surely not, she said.
The windshield of the Express Jet has not one, but two layers of what sure looks like duct tape on two sides of the glass, covering the seal.
I went ahead and boarded but the whole way to my seat I was just concerned that I could not believe that I saw duct tape on the window, Cintron said.
It does raise other questions, at least for her.
Did they raise the hood and check under the engine? Like in Airplane, she said.
It is actually not the duct tape that you probably have in your garage. The FAA approved version is called High-Speed Tape.
It is made with aluminum, rated for all weather, and speeds up to 600 miles an hour.
A standard sized roll costs over $150.
That was no consolation to Cintron.
If you have to use a tape to secure something that I am going to go up into the air, at very fast speeds, you know it would be a little bit more comforting to see it solid. I don t know what is under that window, she said.
Looking at the picture though you would have to think that if anyone was going to be concerned it should be the pilot who is flying just on the other side of the windshield and he flew on without incident to St. Louis.
It was actually there that Cintron snapped the picture.
I wanted the picture because I did not think anyone would believe me, she said. I wanted to use logic and think certainly that is not what it is.
United Airlines told KHOU 11 News that the tape is actually covering a seal on a brand new windshield. The tape is temporary to make sure that the sealant underneath is fully dry.
The FAA said the tape is fully approved for this type of use.
