AN ACR EMB145R COCKPIT WINDOW OUTER PANE FAILURE AT FL240. FLT IS CONTINUED TO DEST.

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IN CRUISE FLT; MYSELF AND FO HEARD A LOUD POP NOISE -- NOT QUITE LOUD ENOUGH TO BE CLASSIFIED AS A BANG. WE BOTH LOOKED UP TO SEE THAT MY (THE CAPT'S) SIDE OF THE FORWARD WINDSHIELD HAD SHATTERED. WE BOTH IMMEDIATELY DONNED OUR OXYGEN MASKS AND ESTABLISHED CREW COMS. FROM THERE; WE WENT THROUGH OUR COMPANY'S QRH MANUAL FOR A CRACKED WINDSHIELD TO ASSESS THE DAMAGE AND THE SIT. WE WERE ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT IT WAS JUST THE OUTER PANE OF THE CAPT'S FORWARD WINDSHIELD THAT HAD SHATTERED; BUT THAT THE INNER PANE WAS STILL INTACT. ACFT WAS PERFORMING NORMAL IN CRUISE FLT AT FL240 AND ACFT PRESSURIZATION WAS HOLDING. I THEN NOTIFIED THE FLT ATTENDANT OF THE SIT AND THEN CONTACTED OUR COMPANY. STILL NOT EVEN 1/2 WAY TO DEST; I TALKED WITH OUR COMPANY DISPATCH AND MAINT CTL IN REGARD TO OUR SIT WITH THE ACFT. INSTEAD OF DOING AN AIR RETURN TO OUR HUB WITH A MAJOR MAINT FACILITY; MAINT CTLR AND DISPATCH BOTH RECOMMENDED WE CONTINUE THE FLT AND CONTRACT MAINT WOULD MEET US ON ARR TO FURTHER ASSESS THE SHATTERED WINDSHIELD. WITH 42 PAYING PAX ON BOARD; I AGREED AND THE REST OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL EXCEPT FOR FO HAVING TO MAKE THE LNDG FOR MY VIEW WAS SEVERELY LIMITED BY THE SHATTERED OUTER WINDSHIELD. OUTBOUND FLT CANCELED AND MAINT SENT PARTS TO REPAIR DAMAGE. THE WINDSHIELD WAS SHATTERED INTO SO MANY SMALL CRACKS THAT THE FO AND I BOTH AGREED IT WAS NOT EVEN SAFE TO DO A PART 91 FERRY FLT BACK. THE CONTRACT MAINT MECH EVEN AGREED THE ACFT SHOULD BE REPAIRED BEFORE ITS NEXT FLT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR HAD NO FEEDBACK FROM MAINT AS TO THE ACTUAL CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. HE KNOWS OF NO OTHER RECENT FAILURES OF THIS TYPE IN HIS CARRIER'S FLEET.