Originally Posted by
727gm
They might've also been thought to be helpful for formation flight during refueling the aircraft they were originally installed on, the KC-135, from another tanker??
They were definitely not useless, they are wonderful during a circle-to-land, when the circle is constrained by terrain to a turn-to-final in the direction opposite the seat the flying pilot is occupying. That glimpse thru the eyebrow windows is worth a thousand words. But if you don't have an opportunity to put them to use, you might have an opinion that they're useless.
That's exactly right ! Remember 737s fly all around the world, in remote areas with high terrain where straight in approaches are non-practical and tight turns right before landing are necessary. It is a blessing to have those windows in those circumstances. In the states everything is almost straight in ILSs, but I'm sure USAirways guys use them everyday doing the LGA expressway vis. and Potomac vis. into DCA. they come really handy in tight turns.