I am frequently asked by people looking at my airplane how well the CreativeAir wingtip landing lights work. I have unfortunately not been able to say much except that I like the way they install, because I hadn't had a chance to use them at night! Our airport's one lighted runway was closed for major rebuilding before my flight tests began, and only re-opened a week before the plane went to the paint shop, so I have yet to fly it at night!
I do, however, make extensive use of the two lights, as I am a firm believer in lighting myself up anytime I am in a terminal area - which is a huge percentage of the time. Still, I was surprised last night when I went out to do my first night ops with the airplane (I am sleep shifting to a midnight shift for the upcoming Shuttle flight), and neither light was working. (No, I don't check the lights visually on each preflight when I am just doing daytime ops in the summer....). With 190 hours on the plane, I would guess they have been on, in flight, for better than half that - but still, I was surprised I didn't get more life out of them. Does anyone have any life times for comparison?
Anyway, this morning I went to change them out, and learned a couple of lessons to share with the gang:
1) I couldn't find the 12V, 75W, MR-16 bulbs at Home Depot or Lowes - 50W was their max. I did find a web site URL on the box the bulbs came in (I save everything) however, and if you got to http://www.bway.net/dglights/ , they have them for $1.75 each. I ordered a dozen....
2) When I installed my kit, I was being cautious about removing too much fiberglass and making the hole too large. Bad idea. That meant that I had to remove the whole wing tip to get at bulb! Before installing it again, I got out my grinding tools and enlarged the hole so that I can pull the whole assembly out the front, disconnect the wire, and replace the bulb on the bench. I probably intended to do that at one time, but never got back to it....
I put in one of the 50's this morning so I would at least have some recognition lights until the real ones come in...I still like the design of the lights, and from taxi tests I've done after dark, have no doubt they'll be fine for night ops.
Paul
I do, however, make extensive use of the two lights, as I am a firm believer in lighting myself up anytime I am in a terminal area - which is a huge percentage of the time. Still, I was surprised last night when I went out to do my first night ops with the airplane (I am sleep shifting to a midnight shift for the upcoming Shuttle flight), and neither light was working. (No, I don't check the lights visually on each preflight when I am just doing daytime ops in the summer....). With 190 hours on the plane, I would guess they have been on, in flight, for better than half that - but still, I was surprised I didn't get more life out of them. Does anyone have any life times for comparison?
Anyway, this morning I went to change them out, and learned a couple of lessons to share with the gang:
1) I couldn't find the 12V, 75W, MR-16 bulbs at Home Depot or Lowes - 50W was their max. I did find a web site URL on the box the bulbs came in (I save everything) however, and if you got to http://www.bway.net/dglights/ , they have them for $1.75 each. I ordered a dozen....
2) When I installed my kit, I was being cautious about removing too much fiberglass and making the hole too large. Bad idea. That meant that I had to remove the whole wing tip to get at bulb! Before installing it again, I got out my grinding tools and enlarged the hole so that I can pull the whole assembly out the front, disconnect the wire, and replace the bulb on the bench. I probably intended to do that at one time, but never got back to it....
I put in one of the 50's this morning so I would at least have some recognition lights until the real ones come in...I still like the design of the lights, and from taxi tests I've done after dark, have no doubt they'll be fine for night ops.
Paul
