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04-05-2014, 04:25 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Dayton, Nevada --- A34
Posts: 1,464
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Out with the old and in with the new (Whelan wingtip nav/strobe)
I notice something different with Mikey, my RV-6 yesterday morning as he and Paul climbed out from College Station, Texas, on their way to Nevada. The wingtip strobe was extraordinarily bright in the direct morning sun. It was my first chance to see the new Whelan Orion 600 Series Nav\Strobe LED in flight. Impressively bright!
My original, and over 20-year old, Whelan nav/strobe units were long in the tooth and the starboard one frequently failed. We had pondered replacing the lights, and of course only LEDs make sense these days, but the replacement cost kept pushing the project down on our To Do list. However, when Mike Stewart announced Team Aerodynamix’s Beta testing opportunity for the new Whelan LED lights here at VAF, I jumped on the opportunity.
Installation proved easy and quick, with the biggest hassles caused by removing the old units. My overall impressions? A great replacement for the old Whelan lights!
Positive observations:
• Very easy installation
• Good price
• Considerably less weight
• Very bright
• Miniscule power use
• Great looking, appears very solidly made, and streamline
Negative observation:
Only one, and it seems to be the “industry standard.” While the installed unit could be easily detached from the wing and the wiring has a quick-release connector, the hole in the base plate is too small to allow the connector to go through the base plate. A slot in the base plate would have been nicer.
__________________
Louise Hose, Editor of The Homebuilder's Portal by KITPLANES
RV3B, NX13PL "Tsamsiyu" co-builder, TMXIO-320, test platform Legacy G3X/TruTrak avionics suite
RV-6 ?Mikey? (purchased flying) ? Garmin test platform (G3X Touch, GS28 autopilot servos, GTN650 GPS/Nav/Comm,
GNC255 Nav/Com, GA240 audio panel)
RV8, N188PD "Valkyrie" (by marriage)
Last edited by Louise Hose : 04-05-2014 at 07:55 PM.
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04-05-2014, 04:31 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Dayton, Nevada --- A34
Posts: 1,464
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Preparing for installation
Step 1: Removing wingtips and old units
The old Whelan nav/strobe light:
Not surprisingly, two screws had to be drilled out making this step the most time consuming.
Before cutting any wires, we ensured that the three key wires were labeled.
Then it was time to remove it all.
The old stuff removed from both wings:

__________________
Louise Hose, Editor of The Homebuilder's Portal by KITPLANES
RV3B, NX13PL "Tsamsiyu" co-builder, TMXIO-320, test platform Legacy G3X/TruTrak avionics suite
RV-6 ?Mikey? (purchased flying) ? Garmin test platform (G3X Touch, GS28 autopilot servos, GTN650 GPS/Nav/Comm,
GNC255 Nav/Com, GA240 audio panel)
RV8, N188PD "Valkyrie" (by marriage)
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04-05-2014, 04:36 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Dayton, Nevada --- A34
Posts: 1,464
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STEP 2: Installing the new stuff
The new stuff to put on (one side):
Once the old stuff was off, we chose to use our old wiring through the wing and the old reinforcement plate. (All needed wiring, connectors, and reinforcement plates were provided with the kit.) So, our first step was to install the new, beautifully made base plate.
Next came feeding the wires through the base plate (before installing the electrical connector as the hole is too small to allow the plastic connector to pass through.
Next, the light is screwed on:
The lens is attached and secured:
Preparing the connector:
And, then, attaching the connector:
The beautiful, final product!

__________________
Louise Hose, Editor of The Homebuilder's Portal by KITPLANES
RV3B, NX13PL "Tsamsiyu" co-builder, TMXIO-320, test platform Legacy G3X/TruTrak avionics suite
RV-6 ?Mikey? (purchased flying) ? Garmin test platform (G3X Touch, GS28 autopilot servos, GTN650 GPS/Nav/Comm,
GNC255 Nav/Com, GA240 audio panel)
RV8, N188PD "Valkyrie" (by marriage)
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04-05-2014, 04:49 PM
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Senior Curmudgeon
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Dayton Airpark, NV A34
Posts: 15,420
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Looks good, how much weight did you save?
__________________
Mike Starkey
VAF 909
Rv-10, N210LM.
Flying as of 12/4/2010
Phase 1 done, 2/4/2011 
Sold after 240+ wonderful hours of flight.
"Flying the airplane is more important than radioing your plight to a person on the ground incapable of understanding or doing anything about it."
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04-05-2014, 07:51 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Dayton, Nevada --- A34
Posts: 1,464
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike S
Looks good, how much weight did you save?
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We didn't think to weigh the difference, partly because we were in a friend's hangar and using his tools. Would have been a good thing to do, however.
__________________
Louise Hose, Editor of The Homebuilder's Portal by KITPLANES
RV3B, NX13PL "Tsamsiyu" co-builder, TMXIO-320, test platform Legacy G3X/TruTrak avionics suite
RV-6 ?Mikey? (purchased flying) ? Garmin test platform (G3X Touch, GS28 autopilot servos, GTN650 GPS/Nav/Comm,
GNC255 Nav/Com, GA240 audio panel)
RV8, N188PD "Valkyrie" (by marriage)
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04-05-2014, 11:24 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Catawba, NC
Posts: 318
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2.6lbs
Mike,
I just did the same conversion on my 6A. I wrote about it here:
http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...ight=orion+600
My old lights were Aeroflash, not whelen, but the total weight savings was 2.6lbs. I am sure Louise saved something close to that.
Two thumbs up for Whelen Orion series lights and Mike Stewart for the help!
Dan
__________________
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Dan Thompson
RV-6A - N426JM - 180hp / C.S. / dual PMags
NC26 - Long Island Airpark, NC
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04-06-2014, 12:10 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Newcastle, OK
Posts: 169
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Looks great!
__________________
Tyler
Newcastle, OK
N825TC
RV-14A #140754
Project Log
Last edited by pilottangocharlie : 04-06-2014 at 12:14 AM.
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04-06-2014, 03:09 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: fort myers fl
Posts: 949
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looks great. I do have a question, what is that long black thing coming out of the bottom of the drill that paul is using in that one picture? Im not sure I have ever seen a drill like that
bob burns
RV-4 N82RB
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04-06-2014, 06:10 PM
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VAF Moderator / Line Boy
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Dayton, NV
Posts: 12,256
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Quote:
Originally Posted by n82rb
looks great. I do have a question, what is that long black thing coming out of the bottom of the drill that paul is using in that one picture? Im not sure I have ever seen a drill like that
bob burns
RV-4 N82RB
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Borrowed tools, borrowed hangar..... 
__________________
Paul F. Dye
Editor at Large - KITPLANES Magazine
RV-8 - N188PD - "Valkyrie"
RV-6 (By Marriage) - N164MS - "Mikey"
RV-3B - N13PL - "Tsamsiyu"
A&P, EAA Tech Counselor/Flight Advisor
Dayton Valley Airpark (A34)
http://Ironflight.com
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04-07-2014, 05:54 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: St Louis, MO
Posts: 957
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Stones
Do these eliminate the need for the big power pack? Looks like the LED lights are all you need???
__________________
RV-8, Flying
Previous airplanes: Corby Starlet, Citabria, Cessna 140, Vari-Viggen, RV-3, RV-4
RV grin every flight
"Sure is nice to have smart friends"
2018 dues paid
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