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Duckworks Leading Edge Kit writeup, Part 1

Bullseye

Well Known Member
(Sorry about the large pictures, everyone. I've got them optimized for the build log...)

After receiving my "install only" leading edge landing light kits from Duckworks, I was kind of eager to start fiddling with something other than rib preparation. I'm hoping that some of my pictures will be good information for some of you still shopping for landing light solutions.

Today, I opened up the kits and started in on adding the leading edge landing lights.

This is from my design page, where I've been collecting ideas for stuff (I was originally planning 2 small MR16 (2" sized) lights in each wingtip, one taxi, and one landing):
After reading a little more, I?ve found that people who do the two lights in each wingtip dance aren?t happy with the amount of light they are getting from their landing/taxi lights. Then, I figure out they are talking about the regular halogen bulbs provided with Van?s wingtip light kit. The people who are using the HID wingtip lights are generally very happy with the light output.

November 2010 update: After even more reading, I?ve decide that the leading edge light is really the way to go. Now, I think I am going to put a single HID (PAR 36 style) in each leading edge for landing lights. These won?t wig-wag. Then, I?ll use the wingtip lights for taxi/recognition, with wig-wag. I can use the smaller MR16s in the wing, and point one set wide, and one set toward the centerline. If I use regular halogen bulbs in these, I won?t have to use a warm up circuit, which is good, considering that when up at cruise and ATC calls with a traffic alert, I?ll be able to immediately start wig-wagging them for recognition.

That gets rid of my need for an automatic warm up circuit (won?t be using HIDs for wig-wagging).

I?ll figure out the mechanics of the wingtips taxi lights later (single light in each wing? 2 MR16 halogens in each wing?)

Anyway, I made the decision to go with the dual landing lights in the leading edges. I plan on flying at night, and I want the most light possible.

From Duckworks, I ordered two of the round install kits, and two H3 enclosures (spot, instead of flood). I could have ordered one spot (for landing) and one flood (for taxi), but since I'm going to do something in the tips for taxi, I want both of my leading edge lights for landing.

Anyway, here are the two kits. Very obvious are the two mounting plates, the bulb retainer, the lens retainers, a bag of hardware, and the leading edge lenses. (Duckworks was kind enough to send me a spare lens. Much appreciated.)

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Here are the two PAR 36 style, spot enclosures for an H3 bulb. My soon-to-arrive HID kit should have H3 bulbs that will fit nicely in here. I'll do a separate write-up for those.
I left the bag on them to prevent getting any skin oils on them.

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Also included in the kit are the instructions, an exploded view, and the templates for the cutting and drilling.
Good documentation. Well done.

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Anyway, I decided to just bite the bullet and cut into the leading edges. I?m not including a lot of my work pictures here, but they turned out really well (still need edge finishing).
I think the leading edges are great with these light openings in them. (I'm going to look like a 747 coming down final, which is exactly what I want (visibility and recognition).)

(Oh, and this was the first time in a long time I?ve been able to work with the garage open. It was almost 40?F today!)

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I got out one of the bulbs and just placed it in the mount just for kicks.
These things are going to look awesome in the wings.

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Both sides, ready to go...

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I don't think I'll do any further painting of these. I like the primer grey.
I'll do some more on the landing lights soon, but for now, I need to get back to rib prep. Hopefully this week I'll have a writeup of the HID kit that arrives.
 
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