Position and Strobe Lights

[PaulN]

G'day,

 

The strobes on my plane have recently failed. The port/stbd position lights are still OK. Had the strobe generator unit checked for electronic failure but drew a blank with the tech who had difficulty fault finding w/out a circuit diag (not available apparently).

 

I realise that position and strobe lights on a day VFR only aircraft are not all that important (daytime visibility issue) but it is a factory built aircraft and these lights are std equip so methinks I should make sure they're in good working order ... good airmanship (if not common sense) in my opinion.

 

With LED technology and self-contained flasher circuitry now available, I'm wondering if anyone has opinions and/or suggestions for products that I should be considering to replace my now 10 year old lights. I'll be wanting wing tip green and red combined with white strobes along with a small strobe for the tail (about 40mm dia).

 

I looked at and like Aveo but frightened by their pricing. What others should I be looking at? Where do I find these?

 

Thank you in advance .

 

Paul

 

 

[poteroo]

G'day,The strobes on my plane have recently failed. The port/stbd position lights are still OK. Had the strobe generator unit checked for electronic failure but drew a blank with the tech who had difficulty fault finding w/out a circuit diag (not available apparently).

 

I realise that position and strobe lights on a day VFR only aircraft are not all that important (daytime visibility issue) but it is a factory built aircraft and these lights are std equip so methinks I should make sure they're in good working order ... good airmanship (if not common sense) in my opinion.

 

With LED technology and self-contained flasher circuitry now available, I'm wondering if anyone has opinions and/or suggestions for products that I should be considering to replace my now 10 year old lights. I'll be wanting wing tip green and red combined with white strobes along with a small strobe for the tail (about 40mm dia).

 

I looked at and like Aveo but frightened by their pricing. What others should I be looking at? Where do I find these?

 

Thank you in advance .

 

Paul

Google Kuntzleman. Anything that's TSO'd, (like Whelen), is pricey. happy days,

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

Google Kuntzleman. Anything that's TSO'd, (like Whelen), is pricey. happy days,

I have a pair of Kuntzleman wingtip strobes. Affordable and effective, but they have failed twice and been returned to Pennsylvania. (The cause was power spike on startup; I have now installed an isolating switch.) Each time the repair was quick and inexpensive. He seems to be a man of honour.

 

 

[Downunder]

I have seen and handled the Aveo units. Amazingly small and light with no ballast.

 

Sometimes they have "seconds" for sale which are fully functional but with some imperfections.

 

From memory the non-certified units are cheaper and it can be cheaper to buy through their dealers rather that the Aveo website.

 

 

[Yenn]

If you are worried about having original equipment on your plane, such as required for LSA, then you will need to go back to the manufacturer for original. If this is not a problem there are several options.

 

Buy Whelen or some other expensive lighting.

 

Have a look at the number of non aviation lights on the web.

 

See what others have built. Have a look at the RV builders web site. vansairforce.net

 

Finally decide if you really need lights. I have seen many ultralights with big money flashing lights, that don't show up before the whole plane is clearly visible.

 

 

[pdriussi]

you could also try AeroLED - www.aeroleds.com - which have a great range available.

 

 

[DrZoos]

Could also use led from ebay torches a tenth of the price and just as bright

 

http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2053587.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.XLumens led&_nkw=Lumens led&_sacat=0&_from=R40

 

There are some seriously good led capable of on/off or flash modes....

 

Also check these out..nice

 

http://www.crazedpilot.com/aircraft-strobe-light-led-landing-lights-wig-wag/

 

 

[Oscar]

Don't kid yourself that these will necessarily meet the required FAA standard (which is quite difficult to actually interpret, btw.) Some of the claims for lamps in the eBay link are ridiculous; the CREE XML-T6 Cool white is currently the brightest single led (other than some el monstro Cree ones like the CXA2520, which none of the things advertised on that page use) and the XML2-T6 - the latest CREE model of the XML range - puts out 679 lumens @ 2000mA - the highest driver current CREE recommends. The FAA standard requires a spread of light from a strobe, and it will take an array of six of the XMLs to get to comfortably meet the brightness/spread ratio.

 

Almost any half-decent led pack light will meet the visibility distance figure in very low ambient light conditions - exactly when a day-VFR restricted aircraft should NOT be flying. If you put these low-cost devices on your plane and believe that in bright sunlight you'll be seen at a respectable distance - you won't, except perhaps over a very small cone of visibility when accurately aligned to the centre of the lamp propagation pattern, and provided the observing aircraft has you against a dark background.