N109N

ATA 5610

JUST AS WE HAD LEVELED OFF AT 17,000 FEET AT APPROXIMATELY 1820Z ABOUT 100 MILES SOUTH OF ORL WE HEARD A VERY LOUD BANG AND THE PILOT SIDE WINDSCREEN HAD COMPLETELY SHATTERED THE OUTER GLASS PANE. WE WERE BETWEEN LAYERS IN CLEAR AIR. IT WAS A VERY WARM DAY, PROBABLY ISA PLUS 15. I WAS OFF COMM ONE GETTING THE ATIS. AS SOON AS IT HAPPENED I IMMEDIATELY LEANED OVER THE PEDESTAL AND REMAINED THERE UNTIL AFTER WE LANDED. FROM OVER THE PEDESTAL I COMMUNICATED WITH ATC, RAN THE CHECKLISTS, AND PROGRAMMED THE FMS TO THE NEW AIRPORT AND NEW APPROACH. I INSTRUCTED TO SLOW THE AIRCRAFT TO THE 160 RANGE AS SOON AS HE COULD. I REQUESTED AN IMMEDIATE VECTOR TO A SUITABLE AIRPORT WITH EQUIPMENT AND ALSO ONE THAT WAS VMC. I ASKED FOR EQUIPMENT TO BE ROLLED AND PLACED ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE PLANE. HE HAD A VERY GOOD IDEA TO PLACE THE SUN SHADE BETWEEN THE WINDOW AND ME. WE DID THAT. ON INTERCEPT I FOUND US STILL 2000 FEET HIGH AND STILL FAST. I TOLD ATC WE WERE GOING TO PERFORM A LEFT 270 ACROSS FINAL. THIS WAY HE COULD FLY NORMAL SPEEDS AND NORMAL ALTITUDES. I WANTED HIS APPROACH TO BE COMPLETELY FAMILIAR. HE REQUESTED I MONITOR HIS INSTRUMENTS AND CALL OUT SPEEDS ALL THE WAY DOWN FINAL. I DID THAT. HE LANDED UNEVENTFUL.