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Best LED light for landing/taxi for my RV4,pic below
- Thread starter rick57
- Start date
Your picture looks like a PAR 36 bulb, most likely a GE 4509 or equivalent, which was very common back in the day. A question to ask is if a bulb you are considering is a "drop in" replacement for a PAR 36 bulb. I had PAR 36 GE 4509 in my RV6 and replaced them with bulbs from aero-lites. They have several different price points versus lumens. They were drop-in replacements, very easy to do. I don't fly at night, and they are plenty bright for day VFR recognition. Significantly brighter than the halogen bulbs they replaced. No electrical noise interference.
The Fly-led wig-wag board is very good and easy to install. They also sell a wig-wag switch.
The Fly-led wig-wag board is very good and easy to install. They also sell a wig-wag switch.
Like this? FlyLEDs: THE BEST!! From this..................to THIS!! That is the QUAD setup and will only light up the reflectors at the far end of my 4800 foot runway!!
I have more photos somewhere. I am soon to do the starboard tip as well and can better document the procedure. I was so excited to get this one in I didn't take many pictures on the way..........! 
Wigwag circuit board from FlyLEDs is the size of a book of matches........remember match books? They also have a wigwag switch as Dave pointed out.Since one (easily) builds this nearly drop-in unit, it is WAY less expensive than the plug-and-play variety. You could buy a QUAD for both wings for what one of the plug-ins cost. AND: no radio noise!!! And, as I have said before, the halogen that is still in the starboard wing awaiting installation of my already-build QUAD, looks like a tea candle out there compared to the port wing!!
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Toobuilder
Well Known Member
Is the bulb separate from the reflector? If so, it’s worth trying the currently available automotive high output LED replacement bulbs. I have upgraded all my cars and the output is absolutely insane, especially considering the low cost.
Rumor has it that those have a high-frequency radio noise problem..........I kind of remember that being discussed on this forum somewhere........... And the OP has the standard enclosed halogen bulb.....
Hard to argue with the brand or the price -- https://baspartsales.com/01-0771424-10-rev-a-whelen-pled1l-led-landing-light-volts-14/
I’ve used Aero-Lites and I’m happy with them. I control them with the FlyLeds wigwag switch. Easy install, works well.
www.aero-lites.com
Aero-Lites, LLC | LED replacement aircraft lighting
Aero-Lites High-performance plug & play direct replacement LED lighting for Aircraft and other applications that demand no-compromise quality.
www.aero-lites.com
I have the same old school RMD wingtips and went with the Baja Designs Squadron Pro (4100 lumens) off road lights; easy install and waaay brighter than the old incandescent bulbs. But, these lights have been around awhile, I installed mine in 2017… if I were to do it again today I’d probably go with something from FlyLEDs. Sure, I could upgrade from my current Squadron Pros, but these work just fine.
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AeroLED’s out of Boise. Big discount for experimental. Plus an additional 10% around Oshkosh time and Christmas time.
$767.....................
I have the RMD wingtips on my RV-6 and managed to fit the FlyLED Taildragger Max lights. It did require a little dremel work on the original landing light brackets and FlyLED circuit boards though. As everyone else says, their products are fantastic. The difference in visibility both while landing and while taxiing is incredible.
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Hi Rick
There's only two lights on the market that were specifically designed for tail draggers: The Flyleds Combo light and the Flyleds Tail Dragger Max light.
Most tail draggers are set up with one light aimed straight ahead for landing and the other aimed lower for taxiing, so you're only ever getting half the available light in either orientation. With two Combo lights (my recommendation for your wingtip location) you get lots (and lots!) of light aimed correctly for landing, coming from both wings, and then when the tail is on the ground you can still see down both sides of the runway and taxiways.
When you have your plane pulled apart at your next annual you can run an extra wire out to each light and add a Taxi power circuit to them as well, so you can just run the tilted light module rather than all of the light being turned on.
With our oversized heatsinks our lights maintain their headline power level forever. There's others on the market that due to their much smaller heatsink size will drop their output power by almost half in as little as 15 minutes.
We also have wigwag mode sorted for you, with either our Wigwag Module or the Wigwag Switch, one of which will suit your panel and switch type better than the other. They are both easily fitted, with no extra sync wires needing to be run between the lights.
And we have an LED solution for your position and strobe lights as well... see The Essentials kit, "RMD" model.
Please click on the Flyleds logo below or the links above!
I have and endorse the Fly LEDs. Their design philosophy (dropping resistors vs RF generating pulsed power supplies) just makes sense.
And I second Paul, above: don't disregard taxi requirements, especially in a TW. I have never had a problem landing a small airplane on a lit runway; in fact, when I was still doing primary instruction, I made students land with the landing light off. OTOH I have been to airports where taxiways and parking were unlighted, and taxiing without a landing light was close to impossible to do safely.
And I second Paul, above: don't disregard taxi requirements, especially in a TW. I have never had a problem landing a small airplane on a lit runway; in fact, when I was still doing primary instruction, I made students land with the landing light off. OTOH I have been to airports where taxiways and parking were unlighted, and taxiing without a landing light was close to impossible to do safely.
1+ I will have two FlyLED QUADS in my RMD wingtips: port tip aimed for landing; starboard (installation waiting for warmer weather!) aimed for taxiing. With a tailwheel they both light up the runway and taxiway. I did not put the diffuser on for taxiing as the lighting is adequate for that. I might change my mind once I get the starboard light in. It takes a little bit of trial-and-error to get them aimed like you like them. I mostly use mine for daytime recognition and they are BRIGHT enough to accomplish that.
Same here, taxi at little country airports is challenging.
