Narrative:

The boeing 737 windshield wipers are inadequate and the windshields do not shed water during heavy rain. During heavy rain; the view out the windshield is just a blur and you have to 'guess' where the runway is. This needs to be fixed because it's not safe. Tonight; landing runway 19R in tpa (reported moderate rain; but it was easily heavy rain); with wipers on high; the view during the flare was a constant blur. I could not sense where the runway was and I floated trying to find it. I believe the aerodynamic design of the windshields is such that rain actually pools and does not shed. This issue has been written about by other pilots in reports and was featured in [an air safety newsletter]. In that issue; the safety team (of which I really do appreciate their work and contribution); provided a response that 1) the windshields come from the factory with a hydrophobic coating which only lasts 9 months. After that it is never applied again. 2) applying a hydrophobic coating will void the warranty; so cost and legal measures are apparently taking precedence. 3) a go-around is the solution. But; here's the problem with #3: our first alternate had forecast weather of 3SM tsra BKN020CB ovc 040 and our second alternate had forecast weather of 4SM shra OVC025. In other words; what are we supposed to do by going-around? Try another approach in the same exact heavy rain? Divert to the alternates that have the same heavy rain? I'm sorry; but a go-around is not the solution especially with our company's fueling policy to provide enough fuel for one approach and then off to the alternate. Again; the question is we can go around; but then what? The problem of heavy rain not dissipating from the windshield still exists for the next try.we must have a hydrophobic coating or other solution to this problem and we cannot be controlled by some warranty or financial issue. I am recommending that the FAA investigate issuing an airworthiness directive (ad); requiring a hydrophobic coating to be applied at regular intervals. I also recommend that the safety team poll the pilots about heavy rain; lack of windshield wiper effectiveness; and lack of visibility through the boeing 737 windshields. I believe you'll find an overwhelming response that visibility is inadequate during heavy rain. I also do not feel that heavy-rain operations should be restricted. Again; I feel that the solution is a technical solution involving hydrophobic coating or some other solution; but we have got to fix this. Enough pilots have written about it and the time has come to find a solution.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 Captain reported difficulty seeing the runway environment clearly in heavy rain conditions due to poor performance of the windshield wipers.

Narrative: The Boeing 737 windshield wipers are inadequate and the windshields do not shed water during heavy rain. During heavy rain; the view out the windshield is just a blur and you have to 'guess' where the runway is. This needs to be fixed because it's not safe. Tonight; landing Runway 19R in TPA (reported moderate rain; but it was easily heavy rain); with wipers on high; the view during the flare was a constant blur. I could not sense where the runway was and I floated trying to find it. I believe the aerodynamic design of the windshields is such that rain actually pools and does not shed. This issue has been written about by other pilots in reports and was featured in [an air safety newsletter]. In that issue; the safety team (of which I really do appreciate their work and contribution); provided a response that 1) the windshields come from the factory with a hydrophobic coating which only lasts 9 months. After that it is never applied again. 2) Applying a hydrophobic coating will void the warranty; so cost and legal measures are apparently taking precedence. 3) A go-around is the solution. But; here's the problem with #3: our first alternate had forecast weather of 3SM TSRA BKN020CB OVC 040 and our second alternate had forecast weather of 4SM SHRA OVC025. In other words; what are we supposed to do by going-around? Try another approach in the same exact heavy rain? Divert to the alternates that have the same heavy rain? I'm sorry; but a go-around is NOT the solution especially with our Company's fueling policy to provide enough fuel for one approach and then off to the alternate. Again; the question is we can go around; but then what? The problem of heavy rain not dissipating from the windshield still exists for the next try.We must have a hydrophobic coating or other solution to this problem and we cannot be controlled by some warranty or financial issue. I am recommending that the FAA investigate issuing an Airworthiness Directive (AD); requiring a hydrophobic coating to be applied at regular intervals. I also recommend that the Safety team poll the pilots about heavy rain; lack of windshield wiper effectiveness; and lack of visibility through the Boeing 737 windshields. I believe you'll find an overwhelming response that visibility is inadequate during heavy rain. I also do not feel that heavy-rain operations should be restricted. Again; I feel that the solution is a technical solution involving hydrophobic coating or some other solution; but we have got to fix this. Enough pilots have written about it and the time has come to find a solution.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.