Easiest landing light install?

[BruceMe]

I've been avoiding installing the standard leading edge landing/taxi light kit cause it's looked like a PITA. I thought I'd ask the question... Is this the easiest way to retrofit a landing light? Are there easier answers today? Small whole, drop in... wire... lights!

Follow-up question, similar for taxi camera (RV-4)

Thanks!

[F1R]

Wing tip lights avoid butchering the LE of the wing.

[JonJay]

It?s intimidating to cut into the leading edge but frankly it isn?t difficult. I don?t consider following the plans to be ?butchering?, but lots of folks go with wing tip lights to avoid cutting into the leading edge out of fear. It?s just not that hard.
Choose what you want to do based on where you want the lights. I don?t think you will find one way easier than another, just different.

[Pilot135pd]

Originally Posted by F1R

Wing tip lights avoid butchering the LE of the wing.

"butchering" ? If cutting for the landing light is butchering then what would you call building the entire plane?

During these last few months where I've been doing my condition inspection items and adding IFR avionics, AOA heated pitot, and installing the OnSpeed system, I have a new found respect for people who build their planes. I hope to one day do it too but it would have to be more of a "just assemble it" kit, like a Rans' S-21, over a Van's kit due to all the fabrication that I just don't have the knowledge to do.

What you call butchering I call art.

[bjdecker]

Originally Posted by BruceMe

I've been avoiding installing the standard leading edge landing/taxi light kit cause it's looked like a PITA. I thought I'd ask the question... Is this the easiest way to retrofit a landing light? Are there easier answers today? Small whole, drop in... wire... lights!

Follow-up question, similar for taxi camera (RV-4)

Thanks!

Taxi camera -- one hole in an access panel. See:

https://www.amazon.com/Backup-Rear-V...5-4be35d7258cc

Cheers!

B

[catmandu]

Leading edge lights truly are a hack job, that can go wrong quickly. When I tried to install mine, the handheld bandsaw I was using to start the cut got turned sideways. The ribs were no match for it, but the spar was tough enough to redirect the cut. Before I knew it, the saw was self-matriculating inward. When it hit the fuel tank, hoo boy! Luckily, the ARFF crew arrived before the fire spread to the corporate hangar. The gang at Gallagher were super helpful in sorting out the claim, given the number of parties involved.



It is intimidating, but really easy to do. As I've said for years: I've jumped out of a perfectly good airplane, I've left the safety of a floating boat in the middle of the ocean to go 100' underwater, but the scariest thing I have ever done is take a perfectly good top on a brand new Ford Escort and cut a big flippin' hole in it to install an aftermarket sunroof (fresh out of The University, no cash for the factory option!). The leading edge landing light retrofit was not that scary, measure twice (or more), cut once, file to finish.

[Pilot135pd]

Originally Posted by bjdecker

Taxi camera -- one hole in an access panel. See:

https://www.amazon.com/Backup-Rear-V...5-4be35d7258cc

Cheers!

B

Now that looks simple and light. Any lightweight monitor for that since I don't have a Skyview or Garmin?

[bjdecker]

Originally Posted by Pilot135pd

Now that looks simple and light. Any lightweight monitor for that since I don't have a Skyview or Garmin?

https://www.amazon.com/BW-3-5-Inch-M...tronics&sr=1-5

[Pilot135pd]

Originally Posted by bjdecker

https://www.amazon.com/BW-3-5-Inch-M...tronics&sr=1-5

Just 4.8 ounces, perfect! Thanks.

[Pilot135pd]

I'm actually glad I didn't know about these lightweight cameras when I was searching for an RV because I might have bought a -7 instead of my -8.

I didn't like that I could hardly see over the dash while taxiing and one of these might have changed my mind. Now that I have the -8 I'm super convinced I like it more but for the next purchase, if I ever decide to sell the -8, this might come in handy. Thanks.