Great News! L.E.D. Lights are now L.E.G.A.L. !!

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

Thanks George this is all very interesting and if I ever get my 25 amp equipped plane back in the air, they might help cut the electrical load.

[jrenwick]

I don't pay much attention to my nav lights, because I seldom fly at night. But I do use 1/2 of my landing lights (the tractor-beam side, thank you George ) during the day for visibility. The books recommend running the nav lights in the daytime, for the same reason, but I don't think they add much to visibility, and I don't want to burn them out. Now, if the L.E.D. lights would actually add to visibility and last forever, that would make a difference....

[Drat]

Thanks George, I'm sure I will be getting some of these in the future. Probably when the new ones come out.
Doug

[cfzxo]

Thanks George, For taking the time to shed some real light on this
Bill

[GAHorn]

.... The books recommend running the nav lights in the daytime, for the same reason, but I don't think they add much to visibility, and I don't want to burn them out. Now, if the L.E.D. lights would actually add to visibility and last forever, that would make a difference....

Has anyone noticed that virtually all commercial operators operate with their navigation lights on continuously day and night?

Although I don't recall the lesson in which I was taught why, I know that when I flew for a regional and also whenever I operated a corporate airplane I always operated with them on. It serves several purposes.

1. It displays to everyone in view that THIS aircraft is operational. It's not just sitting on the ramp.
2. It draws attention to the aircraft, even in daylight because the occasional light-beam of a nav light will strike the occasional retina of some other pilot's eye. (In other words, for some sub-conscious reason, the glowing nav light adds interest to the aircraft. It is a warning that the aircraft is potentially under-way...even if it is presently stationary.)
3. A pilot who takes off on a four-hour flight at 5 PM will not find himself in the destination traffic pattern without his nav lights because he forgot them at sundown. (Conversely, the pilot of a pre-dawn departure for the weekend pancake-breakfast whom arrives after sun-up has a ready-excuse..."Yeah, I always fly with 'em ON!")

If an airplane is sitting on the ramp, apparently unoccupied but it's nav lights are ON.... it has meaning: Either the pilot walked away and accidentally left his Master Switch ON..... or.... it's actually in await for it's payload/pax and may have an APU running.

Just before pushing the engine "Start" switch, the pilot would/should activate the rotating beacon/anti-collision lights in addition to the nav lights to indicate to bystanders "Beware! Engines are starting!"

Nav lights should also be illuminated when the aircraft is being towed at night. (Or the aircraft should be lit by floodlights from the towing vehicle.)

L.E.D. lamps should make the drain on one's battery almost negligible. The biggest drain with the engine not running will likely be your T&B electric gyro. (Don't forget to push that C.B. back in before flying, as if it's like most, it's the same one which powers the stall warning. Wouldn't be nice to lose other gyros while in the clouds and the T&B not operatonal, or to discover that the 2 hours spent troubleshooting the electrical ground on the lift-detector was a wasted effort.)

Not that it's ever happened to me.

[KS170A]

Speaking of LED's, has anyone seen or heard of LED strobe lights for aircraft the size of a 170? I have seen LED "strobe"/anti-collision lights on late-model jets (Citation Mustangs, 2009+ CJ-series, and some others), which have much larger nav/strobe assemblies/lenses. I'm wondering if the lumen requirement can be met for a strobe light with the size offered by the footprint of most strobes found on 170's. I've been able to spot the LED "strobe" lights from considerable distances at night and would think the brightness and low current draw would be a great addition.

[Watkinsnv]

I just put a set on my bird. Along with the tail nav strobe. Way cool. Lance
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/e ... series.php

[GAHorn]

I just put a set on my bird. Along with the tail nav strobe. Way cool. Lance
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/e ... series.php

Although a few might be put-off by ..."for your kit, sport, ultralight or experimental aircraft." ...

[ronjenx]

I just put a set on my bird. Along with the tail nav strobe. Way cool. Lance
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/e ... series.php

Although a few might be put-off by ..."for your kit, sport, ultralight or experimental aircraft." ...

The web site for those LED lights says they have two versions of all their lights: for certified aircraft and for experimental aircraft.

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

Here is an interesting page with a strobe. http://www.aveoengineering.com/Aviation ... /index.php

On it is says they are built to meet the needs of certified aircraft. I couldn't find anywhere what those standards they meet were. Perhaps they are talking about LSA which are certified. I don't know if LSA aircraft even have a different lighting certification. Perhaps LSA standards exceed the standards for our 170.

One thing I know. LEDs are coming to an aircraft near you. Might be yours. Someones got to be first.

[GAHorn]

The Spruce catalog indeed, does not provide much certification info, and AVEOFLASH website actually is being disabled. Apparently AVEOEngineering is the website of the OEM mfr, and they offer several light (LED) they claim meet C30 TSO.
Thanks for the info, ronjenx.
http://www.aveoengineering.com/download ... linone.pdf

[Watkinsnv]

I got them installed on one of those things called a Field Approval that no one seems to be able to get anymore. I also got an EnerSys Oddesy battery OKed for my 170 Lyc O-360. Losing the power supplies and almost half the battery weight helped the CG and I can carry 2 more gallons of gas in those big tanks I'm installing before I max out gross weight. ( Like I ever look at that.) Lance

[Elliott Munz]

Actually they need to meet several qualifications regarding intensity, color, etc.., however those regs applicable to angle of departure, etc. are already covered under the navigation lights already certificated and installed.






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[FredMa]

George, another reason for light operations during the day is that the light configuration is part of the equation that causes your CVR and DFDR to operate. For example, on the CRJ the CVR requires , Beacon on, Brake off, and oil pressure from either engine. The DFDR requires the same plus weight off wheels.
You have said several times that "the mfr states" these leds meet the definition of a standard part. Have they provided written documentation of that claim? If so I wouldn't have a problem installing them. Not sure if a pilot performing preventive maintence is allowed to make this determination though. I haven't looked at the FAR's to confirm this.

[blueldr]

FredMa,

OK, I'll bite! What in hell do those initials, CRJ, CVR, and DFDR mean? I really hate to expose my ignorance like this, but I also hate to read these threads and think I may miss something important that might mean something to me.
Please be advised that where your bottom line refered to "FAR's", I think I remember that one.