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Map light with focusing lens / adjustable beam width

Skepilot

Member
I'm trying to find a map light which is adjustable, not only in terms of pointing direction, but in terms of focusing / adjusting the beam width. Pretty much every airline cockpit I've ever flown has map lights like this, but I can't find anything like that for GA or experimental airplanes.

I've checked the usual sources: Aircraft Spruce, PilotLights.net, Stein Air, plus some non-aviation sites like superbrightleds.com and other sites which supply lights for boats, RV's, etc., but no luck. Any suggestions?
 
Sportie's has a number of flashlights that may work. You will probable need to make your own mount.
 
I have lights similar to these in the canopy frame side-rails. Not too bright, and self-contained. Mine use three LR44 batteries.
No beam adjustment though.
Can even take them off if you need a light under the dash or something.
https://www.ebay.com/c/1656456216
 
headlamp

I've read that many people fly with a headlamp at night.

Here's me wearing one after a tough riveting session: :D

1300_228414a_0419.jpg
 
And you can get red head lamps too.

I use one for both night flying and astronomy.
 
And you can get red head lamps too.

I use one for both night flying and astronomy.

The three-pack of Duracells that Costco sells has a red led lamp in addition to spot and flood. I wear this at night. It's nice to have the red lamp for flying and the white light for pre/post flight.
 
I think you'll find you may not need all the function of a light designed for variability of airline cockpit that needs to meet the desires of 100s of pilots, but this is similar to the 737 removable flight kit lamp...

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/cockpitspot.php

Yeah, I saw the Grimes light, but is too antiquated and ugly for my new, pretty airplane. :D

I like this one, which is on newer airliners like the A220:


But, it's 28v only, and I can't find anyone who sells it anyway.


I have lights similar to these in the canopy frame side-rails. Not too bright, and self-contained. Mine use three LR44 batteries.
No beam adjustment though.
Can even take them off if you need a light under the dash or something.
https://www.ebay.com/c/1656456216

Yeah, the beam adjustment seems to be the difficult feature to find.

I've read that many people fly with a headlamp at night.

No way I'm wearing a headlamp AND a headset AND an O2 cannula! :D
 
FLITELite - Microlight Lip Light

No way I'm wearing a headlamp AND a headset AND an O2 cannula! :D

I have panel lights that can be pointed but prefer to use this lip light. Headlamps are nice but the elastic band puts pressure on your head a lot like passive noise cancelling headsets whereas this thing lives on your headset boom. FLITELite makes a bunch of variants to this one to match your flavor of choice.

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It weights nothing and as it is always on your headset boom day and night there is no hunting for it when the sun sets mid-flight. It is dimmable and turns on/off with the push of a button while remembering the previous dim setting. I keep a few spare batteries in the plane but it seems to operate for a while on a single set.
 
Cockpit lighting keeping it simple...

You might look into a finger-mounted light. My instruments are mostly lighted and I have a mounted light on the starboard area of the cockpit that Vans sells (see picture below) but have found a finger-mounted light to be VERY handy! There are several sources including nitevis.com, flightlite.com (available through My Pilots Store), cejayengeneering.com to name a few. I really like mine in that it points ANYWHERE my finger points. Simple but effective. Red LED light. I keep it strapped to a crossmember under the panel when not in use. Photos:

Michael
RV-4 2860
 

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If you can find the 28 volt lights that you like for sale, a small step up converter can be made or bought for under 50 bucks to drive the 28 volt lights off of 12 volts systems.
 
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