Got New Landing Lights

donaziza · #1 03-09-2015, 07:00 PM

I "bought" my RV 8 about 2 years ago. The first time I flew in the dark, I flipped on the landing light switch for landing, but I would have had better luck if I had crawled out on the wing with a match between my teeth. (Always gets a snicker every time I tell that story

) I called the guy who built the airplane and he said the lights were from Walmart. Went and found them. $19.95, and it said "Not Street Legal". So I started researching here on VAF to see what other guys were doing. bullojm1 (the guy with the martini glass--I love martini's) with his Baja Dune buggy lights made a very compelling case with his here on VAF pictures. Then there's also "Bavafa" also here on VAF with the TrustFire 11000 lumen flashlights. I purchased one of those along with batteries. That light was great. It would light up the side of a hangar from 500' away (on the battery power). But I gave the project to a local mechanic, got it back with 3 of the 9 LED's not working, and the brightness of the light would start to fade after 30 seconds even with fully charged batteries. (Now Bavafa swears by them, ie they are working great for him, but then he knows how to do all this stuff by himself--as the majority of you out there reading this do)

So a local mechanic said "Hey Don, why don't you just put in Whelens. I went down to his house after dark with my TrustFire, and we compared it against spare Whelens he had in a box. The TrustFire, even with only 6 of its 9 LED's did a pretty fair contest against the Whelens, BUT, the point that he made was the Whelens were tried and tested, no RF noise, ie reliable. ( The WalMart jobs I had squealed something awful in my headset) That sold me. So I emailed Kahuna wanting two landing lights vs one landing and one taxi light. Kahuna convinced me to try the taxi light instead of two landing lights, explaining that I could swap it out if I wanted to. I tried the taxi/landing light configuration, decided I would rather have two landing lights, and Kahuna true to his word exchanged them for me. Now that's just me, maybe other guys would prefer the taxi/landing combo. Anyway, the two Whelens do a great job of lighting up the asphalt and the big 25 on the end of my runway. Now I'm not trying to push Whelens here, I have no connection with Kahuna or the Whelen company, I'm just writing this trying to help, so other guys can read, judge, and make up their own minds.

vic syracuse · #2 03-09-2015, 07:50 PM

I think I know your local mechanic.

Vic

Captain_John · #3 03-10-2015, 04:59 AM

That's great!

I installed the Baja Designs lights upon Mikeys recommendations and they are incredible!

. CJ

olyolson · #4 03-10-2015, 07:00 AM

I bought a landing light to replace the one in my -4. Mine wasn't bad but it just didn't seem bright enough at night. I could see the taxiways and runway OK and it was safe but it was less than stellar. So I e-mailed Kahuna and got one of his Whelen conversions kits at a really good price. Man this light really "lit it up". It is at least 2-3 times brighter and has a more natural white look. In direct comparison my old one seemed yellow compared to the Whelen. The vertical field of view is probably 4 times as wide as well. I can't even identify where my old light came from but I'm glad I made the switch.

I'm sold and when I can swing it I'm going to upgrade to the LED strobes/pos lights Kahuna sells. He has great products and is a pleasure to deal with. In this day and age of technology, voicemails and cyberspace it's nice to have a guy that is customer friendly and responds to your requests right away. Got to fly with him at the Pine Bluff Clinic last year and he's not a bad pilot either, I really think he has potential!

Count me as a satisfied customer,
Oly

donaziza · #5 03-10-2015, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vic syracuse

I think I know your local mechanic.

Vic

Ha Ha

You and Vlad--VAF's 2 comedians

Icarus · #6 03-10-2015, 07:06 PM

Plus 1 for the whelen landing light and kit from Aerodynamix. Additionally, Mike had sent me a e-Mail to clarify my order less than 5 minutes after hitting submit? Wiring was a snap, and they look?right, as in they were meant to be there.

Good luck in your search!

Canadian_JOY · #7 03-11-2015, 07:06 AM

Oly - which Whelen landing light did you end up installing? A Parmetheus, Parmetheus Plus or one of the smaller taxi/recognition/landing light modules?

olyolson · #8 03-11-2015, 07:17 AM

Mark,

I got this one:

Kit: Duckworks Rectangle LED replacement Landing Light Kit, $145

http://teamaerodynamix.com/shop/avia...ding-light-kit