Thread: Lower Cowl install - and not break the landing light

There is a very small amount of space between the landing light and the hoses, and while getting the cowl over the exhaust stack, past the prop spinner, the landing light always takes a few hits. Any good way to save the bulb?

Thanks.

Hi Dave,

Just reach in there and hit it with a hammer and then don't worry about the small bumps.

Ok, I don't know any magic here other than to be careful.

Anybody have the LED landing/anti-collision light installed? I'd like to know if that eliminates the problem described in this thread. If it does, I'd consider the upgrade.

I don't fly at night, so the diminished effective range as a landing light doesn't concern me, and I would prefer the lower battery drain when the light is on for visibility purposes. I haven't seen the LED in use, but have been told the anti-collision function is bright and very attention-getting. If it made the cowl reattachment easier, that sounds like a trifecta that might be worth the upgrade.

Anyone with direct experience on this?

Originally Posted by Roger Lee

...Just reach in there and hit it with a hammer and then don't worry about the small bumps.

Thanks Roger - I knew I could count on you. :P

You were most helpful on the stains on the wing and fuselage. From the posts of the inside the tank pix here, I'm going to guess that's the brown junk we were seeing. I did the fuel cap mod, and then the caps started leaking so we got new ones from Dana. It looks like the problem is solved.

Thanks again for your great support of these fun little planes.

Originally Posted by Pawlander

Anybody have the LED landing/anti-collision light installed? I'd like to know if that eliminates the problem described in this thread. If it does, I'd consider the upgrade.

Are you talking about the Whelen unit? I saw in the Whelen catalog that they have a CT with a LED landing light....[attachment=0:3961z9z5]CT_Whelen_landing.jpg[/attachment:3961z9z5]

Doug

I don't know the brand. Sebring Aviation has it listed on their CTLS options price list ( http://www.flight-design-southeast.com/CTLS.htm ) as:

Upgrade to advanced LED Landing Light $725


When I was at Lockwood for training and to pick up my plane last Spring, I think I saw one installed on an aircraft. Somebody there told me of the anti-collision light feature, but I did not see the light in action so cannot speak from personal experience.

I thought perhaps the depth of the unit or the location of the electrical terminals might be different than the standard bulb and might make the cowl removal/installation easier. It is a pain with the bulb.

Hi, I am very rarely use the landing lights which you easily forget to swich off - having a drained battery - but the position lights are very helpful to be seen specially in not so clear vis ![attachment=0:h6vecmcz]pos.JPG[/attachment:h6vecmcz]

I'm talking about the landing light itself. I think the 'Wig/Wag' feature described in this product may be what I was told about:

http://store.aeroleds.com/index.php?mai ... ucts_id=44

See the bullet that says "Built in Wig/Wag (stand-alone or synchronous with any of our other products.)"


I saw a video a few months back comparing the illumination of a runway on a dark night from both types of lighting and the LED did not have nearly the useful range of the traditional bulbs, but a much lower battery draw.

But, I don't use my landing light to 'see' (no night flying.) I do, however, occasionally use it to 'be seen.' The high current draw always concerns me, so I only do it when conditions really call for it. If the LED version can routinely be used in-flight, along with the nav position lights, that could make you just a little bit more visible to those around you.

And since it is an array of small LED's instead of a light bulb, it may not project out as far to the rear of the assembly and might be less apt to interfere with the hoses when removing/reinstalling the lower cowl.

Someone else we may contact with this is LoPresti. They've been making "Boom beams" for many years which are Xenon's and have very little power drain also. Highly visible and low current draw, but really show up on the runway at night also, if needed, for emergency.

John

Throw one of these on the front cowling and you’ll be noticed coming in on finals……. Come to think of it one on the tail would be better than the FD type…
Led's are the future and i'm not talking about the little pea shaped ones in flashlights but the new 'CREE' flat film type... incredibly bright !

Mac


http://www.strobesnmore.com/nova-x1100-hide-a-led.html

http://www.strobesnmore.com/nova-w600-hide-a-led.html