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Landing lights in the gear

Had one for 14 years. Better to see the things that break gear. Minor and improved safety. Wing lights are for runways not hazardous terrain.

Gary
 
There's some nice high intensity LED driving lights now that are aerodynamic especially for motorcycles like BMW. Back when I used a Warn truck spot light bolted to the ADodge safety cable center bracket. After I hit a duck on floats with my left wing PA-18 light I removed that useless light location and put one on the gear. It made seeing snow drifts and sticks/rocks much easier. Being low and set pointing ahead three-point landing made the prop reflection minimal.

Gary
 
Thinking of bolting a 20-inch LED light bar to the cabane. Would this help with a ski landing in flat or semi-flat light?
 
Gary - we were posting at the same time. Thanks for the info.
Larry

Hi Larry. LED color might be critical in winter. Here's some options for snow visibility:
https://www.xenonpro.com/led-headlight-color-guide-choosing-best-color
https://www.powerbulbs.com/us/blog/2017/09/yellow-or-whiter-light

I wear ambermatic darkening glasses that filter out part of the blue color spectrum. I can see snow definition better with that amber/yellow color especially on a flat light day or at night when everything in the terrain blends together. Scattered light rays cause that: https://www.sportrx.com/blog/snow-goggle-lenses-for-low-light/ <and> https://www.seniorsskiing.com/coping-with-flat-light/

Gary
 
I'v wondered over the years why someone hasn't adapted a light to the air cleaner dome or winter oil cooler opening? May be too much prop blockage but Cessna and Bellanca/Citabria got away with it ok.

Gary
 
I might try mounting it on the lower cowling instead of on the cabane. On my 'plane mounting on the cabane will put it directly in the exhaust stream and grime from the breather.
 
My Cub's cabane V light got skunged up from the breather. Wiped it off with filter fuel. Eventually the fabric on the belly downstream started to ringworm I guess from air flowing off the top of the big lamp. A small LED might not do that. Sure was nice on flat light days or at dusk after a long day trapping to be able to see snow drifts better. One time I flew from Nenana to Fairbanks in the dark with it on and sure appreciated the illumination of the river below and trees along the banks for reference. It was snowing and I got a late start home. Lights on the wing can make flying in snow more difficult than having them below the engine.

Gary
 
I'v wondered over the years why someone hasn't adapted a light to the air cleaner dome or winter oil cooler opening? May be too much prop blockage but Cessna and Bellanca/Citabria got away with it ok.

Gary

That's where it's at in the Pawnee. Different air filter of course.
 
I'v wondered over the years why someone hasn't adapted a light to the air cleaner dome or winter oil cooler opening? May be too much prop blockage but Cessna and Bellanca/Citabria got away with it ok.

Gary

Thought about it but its already a lot of overhung load on the carburetor.
 
I'v wondered over the years why someone hasn't adapted a light to the air cleaner dome or winter oil cooler opening? May be too much prop blockage but Cessna and Bellanca/Citabria got away with it ok.

Gary

Yep! And so did Mooney... Had a wig/wag on my Mooney and loved it. Could see me for miles...

I'd like to do this as well...
My A model has no landing lights in the wing. I don't need it for landing as I rarely fly the cub at night (I'm a helo guy and fly NVG's all the time.. side note: I would love to fly NVG's in a Cub but that is a whole 'nother controversial topic).

back on track... I'd like to have this so I could have illumination if needed, plus I love to be seen by everyone. I'd also like to incorporate the cabane light as a wig/wag as well...
 
The cabane light is a quick job as there's hardware already there to attach something to. LED's can be seen for many miles especially if cycling power even in daylight. The wide angle fog versions might be better for see-me visibility and a spot version less up angle reflection in snow, rain, or fog. But.....maybe just installing some led's in or on the airfilter dome would be good enough.

Gary

Earlier discussion here: https://www.supercub.org/forum/showthread.php?51476-landing-light-LED-options
 
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I have a 250 W GE mounted so the element is vertical. Over 1400 hours hung directly in prop blast mounted to my belly pod. Truly amazing. I haven't done a comparison lately but at the time it had more candle power in 2011 when I installed it vs the LED's. Curious how it compares to LED's today.
 
I was watching Mike Patey's latest video and he showed his wife installing some nice LED lights on her Carbon Cub cabane vee. He said who made them but my wife wasn't there to tell me what he said. Rewind and still couldn't understand what he said. Looked like they were made for the cabane.
 
Some clamps on the cabane would be easy. They are bright and built in wig wag.
 

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Some clamps on the cabane would be easy. They are bright and built in wig wag.

I see they also make a landing light replacement with built in wig-wag as well.

The clamp on feature is great.

Steve: Have you been treating these as a minor change as well? Sure looks like one to me.

Sometimes I wish I had a flashing LED flood light shinning back, similar to Draco. I think it would be better then the small strobe as I get a bit nervous with all the faster traffic crowding me when heading into lake hood.
 
I haven't yet, ordered a pair today and intend to install via a logbook entry. I don't see where in falls under the definition of a major alteration. Been throwing around ideas on a clamp system and weather proof plug to mount them on the cabane Vee
 
Most any ag plane running around with a fan brake on the chemical pump is using a 2 pin flat plug for the wiring, it would probably be fine for the light connection. I spray my connector with CRC SP400 and have a neoprene velcro wrap I put around it, it’s holding up well.
 
This got me thinking. Are there many Super Cubs with a second set of landing lights in the right wing? Maybe set up to wig-wag?
 
This got me thinking. Are there many Super Cubs with a second set of landing lights in the right wing? Maybe set up to wig-wag?
Tom Ford’s. One light in each wing. He split the two light receptacle I think. If I was to have one rebuilt, I’d do the same thing. Maybe he’ll chime in
 
Tom Ford’s. One light in each wing. He split the two light receptacle I think. If I was to have one rebuilt, I’d do the same thing. Maybe he’ll chime in

Ive seen people that wigwag the two-light fixtures,
but I've heard that wigwagging two lights right next to each other results in what from a distance looks like a single light thats on steady.
I have one standard bulb & one led in my wing light fixture,
with a flasher in the led's circuit.
Not quite as good as a true wig-wag on both wings,
but it does help.
 
Ive seen people that wigwag the two-light fixtures,
but I've heard that wigwagging two lights right next to each other results in what from a distance looks like a single light thats on steady.
I have one standard bulb & one led in my wing light fixture,
with a flasher in the led's circuit.
Not quite as good as a true wig-wag on both wings,
but it does help.

Correct about wig-wag two lights close together. If you have two lights in each wing you'd need to figure a way to flash both lights in each wing, alternating wings, or all four on/off together.

Also, A MaxPulse controller will work with a mix of lamps such as one LED and one incandescent.

Web
 
This got me thinking. Are there many Super Cubs with a second set of landing lights in the right wing? Maybe set up to wig-wag?

I cut the factory landing lights in half and put one in the left wing and one in the right with aero led sunspot with the built in pulse.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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