ACR PIC RPT ON ACR ACFT NOT BEING ALLOWED THE USE OF RAIN REPELLENT SOLUTION ANY MORE DUE TO THE EPA REGS. RPTR SUFFERED DISTORTION OUT OF HIS WINDSHIELD DURING A LNDG PROC IN THE RAIN USING HIS WINDSHIELD WIPERS ONLY.

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FLYING THE ILS 10L AT PIT IN MODERATE RAIN. THE AIRLINE HAS HAD TO DEACTIVATE THE RAIN REPELLENT SYS ON ITS ACFT (THIS AIRPLANE WAS A DC9-81) DUE TO EPA REGS. DURING LNDG WITH WINDSHIELD WIPERS OPERATING; THE VIEW OUT THE WINDSHIELD WAS VERY DISTORTED. A SUCCESSFUL LNDG WAS MADE DUE TO ALL OTHER CONDITIONS BEING FAVORABLE. MY CONCERN IS THAT THE EPA IS MAKING AVIATION SAFETY REGS WITH NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE REPERCUSSIONS. WE HAVE ALL HAD SITS IN OUR CARS WHEN THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE INADEQUATE FOR THE RAINFALL AT 55 MPH AND WE HAVE HAD TO SLOW DOWN OR PULL OVER. THESE OPTIONS ARE NOT AVAILABLE TO ME IN AN ACFT. ALSO; DISTORTED VISION IS FAR MORE SERIOUS THAN OBSCURED VISION BECAUSE I MAY NOT RECOGNIZE THE DISTORTION UNTIL IT IS TOO LATE; EG; ACR MLG AT LGA ACCIDENT. 'RAINBOE' REPELLENT DID AN EXCELLENT JOB OF CLRING THE WINDSHIELD AND NOW THIS CAPABILITY HAS BEEN TAKEN FROM OUR ACFT WITH NO REPLACEMENT SYS AVAILABLE. HAD THIS BEEN A NON PRECISION APCH OR UNDER LESS THAN IDEAL OTHER CONDITIONS; IE; XWIND; NIGHT; LOWER VISIBILITY A VERY SERIOUS DEGRADATION OF SAFETY MARGINS WOULD HAVE OCCURRED.