LED Nav Lights

[Sv.grainne]

Particularly active during flight in cloud at night.



Since you will primarily be flying day VFR, and for the most part avoiding night/IMC, and, for the sake of KISS, on and strobing would be my choice, since I have experienced absolutely no refection from my strobes off the rotors, and my strobes are up on the cheek plates.

I was also warned of the possibility of exhaust resonance from the rotor since my exhausts are point directly up. This is not the case. My noise footprint has been greatly reduced. When flying as a pair the noise reports from our observers on the ground were that Denis's 582 GT-VX1 is very much louder that my 912 GT-VX2.

Theory vs actual experience.

Thank Leigh

 

[Ramjet555]

Thank you. Primarily my lights are for Night VFR and to comply with the equipment required for night flight.
I'm still "in the dark" as to the landing lights that are in the RAF2000. Size , power rating, watts, amps etc.

Personally, I detest strobes on while flying especially at night. I only have them on when its a legal requirement or more to the point, turn them off when legally allowed at the first opportunity.

Left right lights are easy enough as is the rotating beacon. I'll put one flashing red LED on each side of the mast.
The tail "white light" is the challenge. It may need 3 or 6 to cover the required areas with a triple tail.

 

[MikeBoyette]

Perhaps you mean flicker vertigo?

That would be it sir. My memory is getting worse since I turned 50 although I can’t remember why.

 

[Sv.grainne]

I've had several daylight encounters so going with the lights should help. Two assemblies mounted on my cabin should help. Lights are really bright and strobes are bright beyond description. Will see how they work.

 

[Ramjet555]

I've had several daylight encounters so going with the lights should help. Two assemblies mounted on my cabin should help. Lights are really bright and strobes are bright beyond description. Will see how they work.

RF interference from strobes, leds are very common. Any lead to any possible source of RFI should be shielded. Sometimes, very high quality shielding is needed. You can harvest shield from high quality RG58 or similar and feed your wires down that.
Dito for radio, transponder coax and antennas.
Some of the flashing LEDs are real RF noise generators that can travel quite a distance.

I have lost count of the number of GA aicraft including pressurized turbine aircraft that had strobe noise getting into the com radio and even affecting the GPS.
I will get out my handheld and go fishing for noise source on the bench before installing.

 

[Sv.grainne]

RF interference from strobes, leds are very common.

Yes, I confirmed that, that is why I switched to the AeroLeds. Going to do the installation today if it warms up a little.

 

[Sv.grainne]

I changed the lights out today but forgot to take my headset. Will do final test tomorrow.

Eyeball test - these mothers are really bright!

 

[Sv.grainne]

Two days of testing and no interference from the new lights! Reports also indicate that I am now very visible!

 

[GyroChuck]

Two days of testing and no interference from the new lights! Reports also indicate that I am now very visible!

That is great to hear. Too bad they cost so much.

 

[Abid]

Two days of testing and no interference from the new lights! Reports also indicate that I am now very visible!

Makes a difference when things are purpose built for the environment of the application

 

[okikuma]

Fast forward to 5:37 for the demonstration.

Wayne

 

[13brv3]

Two days of testing and no interference from the new lights! Reports also indicate that I am now very visible!

What? So no pictures of where you installed them? How am I supposed to copy you
Rusty

 

[Sv.grainne]

Rusty:

Picture coming. Oil tank blocks rear view of white light to rear on port side. Pictures tomorrow. Going to polish the blades.

 

[Sv.grainne]

Rusty:

Photos follow:





Move them up so they provide a clear view from behind!

Bobby

 

[dabkb2]

Looks great, how many volts do they draw? I changed my running and nav lights to LED but my strobes still put me under 12.

 

[13brv3]

Bobby,

I was mostly kidding about the pictures, but I do see what you mean about moving them up. I've probably still got many months before I have to think of anything like that.

Rusty (8 months and counting)

 

[Sv.grainne]

Rusty:

I mounted the new lights where I had the old mainly so I would avoid having old holes in the cabin exposed. The old lights did not project to the rear so was not an issue. The new Aeroleds do project to the rear so going to move them. Nicolas is going to send me a small batch of touchup paint so will fill the old holes, spot paint and relocate the leds.

Hope you get your machine soon!