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DBerelsman(at)aol.com
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nuckollsr(at)cox.net
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 Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 11:48 am Post subject: LED Runway Lights / solar |
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At 02:23 PM 1/23/2007 -0500, you wrote:
| Quote: | I am sure one of the smart folks on the list will discover a way to
convert these into high intensity runway lights.
<http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS/EN_US/diy_main/pg_diy.jsp?BV_SessionID=(at)(at)(at)(at)0538257103.1169579961(at)(at)(at)(at)&BV_EngineID=ccciaddjmihhggmcgelceffdfgidglm.0&CNTTYPE=PROD_META&CNTKEY=misc/searchResults.jsp&MID=9876&N 984+4233&pos=n12>The
Home Depot: HomeBrite Solar 30817 Plastic Solar Path Light
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An experiment I've always wanted to try is based on the
glue-down reflectors you often see on highways. Their
light acceptance angles and reflection efficiencies
are quite high. I've often wondered if one couldn't
paste these things down to a runway edge and generate
a most adequate runway positional awareness based
completely upon the ship's landing light.
Bob . . .
----------------------------------------
( IF one aspires to be "world class", )
( what ever you do must be exercised )
( EVERY day . . . )
( R. L. Nuckolls III )
----------------------------------------
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john(at)ballofshame.com
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echristley(at)nc.rr.com
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| Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 12:25 pm Post subject: LED Runway Lights / solar |
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DBerelsman(at)aol.com wrote:
| Quote: | I am sure one of the smart folks on the list will discover a way
to convert these into high intensity runway lights.
The Home Depot: HomeBrite Solar 30817 Plastic Solar Path Light
<http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS/EN_US/diy_main/pg_diy.jsp?BV_SessionID=(at)(at)(at)(at)0538257103.1169579961(at)(at)(at)(at)&BV_EngineID=ccciaddjmihhggmcgelceffdfgidglm.0&CNTTYPE=PROD_META&CNTKEY=misc/searchResults.jsp&MID=9876&N 984+4233&pos=n12>
I've got a pile of these solar powered path lights under the house.
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Were'nt good for much other than mood lighting. Less than what you'd
get from a candle, and that's only if they had full sunlight all day.
The problem is that they run from NiCads, and not only do they need to
be periodically replaced, they have practically nothing left in the wee
hours of the morning. Unless they're using a newer battery technology,
I'd say you'd get the same problem from the runway light setup: the need
to replace a lot of expensive batteries every year, and no lights in the
early morning hours.
--
,|"|"|, Ernest Christley |
----===<{{(oQo)}}>===---- Dyke Delta Builder |
o| d |o http://ernest.isa-geek.org |
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sportav8r(at)gmail.com
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| Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 12:28 pm Post subject: LED Runway Lights / solar |
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Like these?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300072913438&ih=020&category 6197&ssPageName=WDVW&rd=1
-Bill B
On 1/23/07, Robert L. Nuckolls, III <nuckollsr(at)cox.net> wrote:
| Quote: |
At 02:23 PM 1/23/2007 -0500, you wrote:
>I am sure one of the smart folks on the list will discover a way to
>convert these into high intensity runway lights.
>
><http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS/EN_US/diy_main/pg_diy.jsp?BV_SessionID=(at)(at)(at)(at)0538257103.1169579961(at)(at)(at)(at)&BV_EngineID=ccciaddjmihhggmcgelceffdfgidglm.0&CNTTYPE=PROD_META&CNTKEY=misc/searchResults.jsp&MID=9876&N 984+4233&pos=n12>The
>Home Depot: HomeBrite Solar 30817 Plastic Solar Path Light
An experiment I've always wanted to try is based on the
glue-down reflectors you often see on highways. Their
light acceptance angles and reflection efficiencies
are quite high. I've often wondered if one couldn't
paste these things down to a runway edge and generate
a most adequate runway positional awareness based
completely upon the ship's landing light.
Bob . . .
----------------------------------------
( IF one aspires to be "world class", )
( what ever you do must be exercised )
( EVERY day . . . )
( R. L. Nuckolls III )
----------------------------------------
|
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nuckollsr(at)cox.net
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| Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 12:50 pm Post subject: LED Runway Lights / solar |
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At 03:27 PM 1/23/2007 -0500, you wrote:
That's the ones. A "discussion over tacos"
several years ago considered the use of high efficiency
reflectors for both runway edge marking and approach
path measurement and display. Between our ability to
routinely find a final approach point to an unlighted
airport with $100 GPS receivers, it seems that creative
use of reflectors might add demonstrable convenience and
safety to a facility that would otherwise go unused after dark.
Bob . . .
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nuckollsr(at)cox.net
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| Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 12:58 pm Post subject: LED Runway Lights / solar |
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At 12:15 PM 1/23/2007 -0800, you wrote:
| Quote: |
I'll bet this would work very well with one caveat: Every now and then
some yahoo (like me) is tooling around in a 40 year old rented citabria
with a flaky electrical system (or a nice, shinny new lancair with a
broken landing light). No landing light + no runway light could make for
an exciting flare 
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Which is why we should avoid putting blanket solutions
on our design recommendations without considering the
big picture for the builder's mission. For example,
it's easily demonstrated that you can land an airplane
on a lighted field using a 6v, 0.5A, 3W fisherman's
lantern. Or perhaps a couple of 25w store-floods in
the wingtips to illuminate the surface during the flare.
I've encouraged folks to look into low-energy alternatives
to dual 100W plus klieg lights. If one's home turf has
limited utility after dark for lack of light bulbs and
a mile or so of wire, perhaps dual 100W bulbs (independently
powered and controlled) combined with hunks of strategically
placed plastic offers a new opportunity.
Bob . . .
----------------------------------------
( IF one aspires to be "world class", )
( what ever you do must be exercised )
( EVERY day . . . )
( R. L. Nuckolls III )
----------------------------------------
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mprather(at)spro.net
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| Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 2:21 pm Post subject: LED Runway Lights / solar |
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I agree with the idea of wishing to downsize the power requirements of
landing lights.. From my limited night experience the most challenging
runway environment is when the airport is located in a densely populated
urban/suburban area. There is so much other light in the pilot's eyes
while in the pattern that a dim landing light isn't much better than
burned out bulb at these airports. Combine that with a bug covered
windscreen, and seeing out is tough. Even the runway edge lights can be
sort of hard to see in these cases, though they are visible enough to
provide reference. Landing on a runway out in the boonies is much easier,
though the chances of sharing the runway with a big four legged critter
are much higher...
For these reasons, if I have an airplane that I intend to fly at night
very often, I'd strongly consider including HID landing and taxi lights.
I understand that the color of these lights and their long warmup time
might make them less useful for daytime recognition (less visible against
sky, and not easy to wig wag). I think their robustness and low power
consumption make them attractive even so. I would consider including
lower wattage dedicated wig-wag lights as well.
http://www.brightheadlights-hid.com/5-7in%20Round-Projectors.htm
This kit is still kind of a lot of money, but with proper installation, it
could last the life of the airplane..
Regards,
Matt-
| Quote: |
<nuckollsr(at)cox.net>
At 12:15 PM 1/23/2007 -0800, you wrote:
>
>
>I'll bet this would work very well with one caveat: Every now and then
>some yahoo (like me) is tooling around in a 40 year old rented citabria
>with a flaky electrical system (or a nice, shinny new lancair with a
>broken landing light). No landing light + no runway light could make for
>an exciting flare
Which is why we should avoid putting blanket solutions
on our design recommendations without considering the
big picture for the builder's mission. For example,
it's easily demonstrated that you can land an airplane
on a lighted field using a 6v, 0.5A, 3W fisherman's
lantern. Or perhaps a couple of 25w store-floods in
the wingtips to illuminate the surface during the flare.
I've encouraged folks to look into low-energy alternatives
to dual 100W plus klieg lights. If one's home turf has
limited utility after dark for lack of light bulbs and
a mile or so of wire, perhaps dual 100W bulbs (independently
powered and controlled) combined with hunks of strategically
placed plastic offers a new opportunity.
Bob . . .
----------------------------------------
( IF one aspires to be "world class", )
( what ever you do must be exercised )
( EVERY day . . . )
( R. L. Nuckolls III )
----------------------------------------
|
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ornerycuss2001(at)yahoo.c
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| Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 4:29 pm Post subject: LED Runway Lights / solar |
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Do not archive
A similar experiment was attempted at my local airport. Turns out that the "normal" road-type reflectors are angled to reflect back at the typical height of a car driver. The typical sitting-height of a pilot and the angle of the landing light were all wrong for getting a good reflection.
However, the local airport did find some airport-specific reflectors they used for some parts of the taxiway.
Greg
"Robert L. Nuckolls, III" <nuckollsr(at)cox.net> wrote:[quote] --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "Robert L. Nuckolls, III"
At 02:23 PM 1/23/2007 -0500, you wrote:
| Quote: | I am sure one of the smart folks on the list will discover a way to
convert these into high intensity runway lights.
The
Home Depot: HomeBrite Solar 30817 Plastic Solar Path Light
|
An experiment I've always wanted to try is based on the
glue-down reflectors you often see on highways. Their
light acceptance angles and reflection efficiencies
are quite high. I've often wondered if one couldn't
paste these things down to a runway edge and generate
a most adequate runway positional awareness based
completely upon the ship's landing light.
Bob . . .
----------------------------------------
( IF one aspires to be "world class", )
( what ever you do must be exercised )
( EVERY day . . . )
( [quote][b]
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Earl_Schroeder(at)juno.co
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| Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 5:56 pm Post subject: LED Runway Lights / solar |
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Robert L. Nuckolls, III wrote:
| Quote: |
An experiment I've always wanted to try is based on the
glue-down reflectors you often see on highways.
Don't know about the glue-down types but the tape-type seen on the sides
|
of semi trailers do work well. They are available from
http://tinyurl.com/ysq2g7, ebay and many other sources. Just Google
'semi trailer reflective tape'.
I just cut the off the white half and wrapped it around a 3/4" plastic
pipe and pushed it into the ground every 200' along the runway edge. I
put the red half on a pipe at each end and one at the 1/2 way point.
Using an auto to test at night, one could clearly see the reflections
all the way down to the end of a 2000' turf strip.
One thing good about the tape-type is they reflect back at the angle of
illumination so they can be seen from the air with a functioning landing
light.
I considered installing a 110VAC stationary 'spot' light at the end
near an AC source at ground level to cover the 'in case landing light
failure during flare' issue but did not.
I've since moved the runway and have not reinstalled the edge lights or
I would publish a night picture.. it was quite impressive. Earl
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