I've been asked by many personal emails to describe the landing light system I used on our RV9A.These emails were generated by a photo of the plane that I posted on a previous thread.
Currently there is a thread on this forum about landing lights, so here's what we did.
I'll not go into details of the construction since photos will better describe it. However there are too many to post, so if anyone is interested, email me and I'll email a package to you.
Some points however;
I did not want my taxi light to be in a wingtip, because of the limited lighting pattern, so a cowl mount had to be designed.
The landing lights will be mounted in the wingtips. These two criteria were met.
I used MR-16 71 watt bulbs. The taxi light in the nose has a 25 degree pattern, and the two landing lights are 15 degree.
The angle of the bulbs are adjustable, the wingtips with screws and springs, and the nose with washers.
I use .125" plexi bought from Home Depot to make the light covers. These were shaped carefully using a heat gun over the fiberglass parts before cutting the fiberglass.
Doublers were made, shaped, and riveted to hold the plexi lenses.
At this point, I have only eye-balled the alignment setting, but I couldn't be happier with the performance. When taxing at night with the 3 lights on, it's very impressive. The landing lights illuminate at least 250 feet ahead when landing. The tower during the daytime confirms that they show the position of the plane very well a couple of miles out.
![](/community/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fimg502.imageshack.us%2Fimg502%2F3939%2Fimage0022ov3.jpg&hash=cfa8f30bf7f2896f0e07f4d178d1c4c3)
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![](/community/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fimg88.imageshack.us%2Fimg88%2Frv94492qg8.jpg%2F1%2Fw500.png&hash=b842ee3c5a068dd5e32f72d4271260e7)
Enjoy
Jack
[email protected]
Currently there is a thread on this forum about landing lights, so here's what we did.
I'll not go into details of the construction since photos will better describe it. However there are too many to post, so if anyone is interested, email me and I'll email a package to you.
Some points however;
I did not want my taxi light to be in a wingtip, because of the limited lighting pattern, so a cowl mount had to be designed.
The landing lights will be mounted in the wingtips. These two criteria were met.
I used MR-16 71 watt bulbs. The taxi light in the nose has a 25 degree pattern, and the two landing lights are 15 degree.
The angle of the bulbs are adjustable, the wingtips with screws and springs, and the nose with washers.
I use .125" plexi bought from Home Depot to make the light covers. These were shaped carefully using a heat gun over the fiberglass parts before cutting the fiberglass.
Doublers were made, shaped, and riveted to hold the plexi lenses.
At this point, I have only eye-balled the alignment setting, but I couldn't be happier with the performance. When taxing at night with the 3 lights on, it's very impressive. The landing lights illuminate at least 250 feet ahead when landing. The tower during the daytime confirms that they show the position of the plane very well a couple of miles out.
![](/community/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fimg502.imageshack.us%2Fimg502%2F3939%2Fimage0022ov3.jpg&hash=cfa8f30bf7f2896f0e07f4d178d1c4c3)
![](/community/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fimg502.imageshack.us%2Fimg502%2Fimage0022ov3.jpg%2F1%2Fw500.png&hash=519685f1626eb57c754821dd8dfc0385)
![](/community/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fimg442.imageshack.us%2Fimg442%2F6380%2Fimage0052gv2.jpg&hash=2f8fd261758185a03fda190df6e35bdc)
![](/community/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fimg210.imageshack.us%2Fimg210%2F7079%2Fimage0062ga3.jpg&hash=e7d4c5505e1f0f0882a1b975ace3e83b)
![](/community/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fimg210.imageshack.us%2Fimg210%2Fimage0062ga3.jpg%2F1%2Fw500.png&hash=ddfd6d84d79e3f7ff929d775e98eab41)
![](/community/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fimg88.imageshack.us%2Fimg88%2F4044%2Frv94492qg8.jpg&hash=4a33cd53b57df0e0ddf164cd9bb2a9bd)
![](/community/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fimg88.imageshack.us%2Fimg88%2Frv94492qg8.jpg%2F1%2Fw500.png&hash=b842ee3c5a068dd5e32f72d4271260e7)
Enjoy
Jack
[email protected]
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