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Landing/taxi light requirements for 601XL?

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a.s.elliott(at)cox.net
Guest

Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 9:02 am Post subject: Landing/taxi light requirements for 601XL?

Folks:

  

 I am a new builder (601XL/TD/QBK/Corvair, kit delivery this week!) and  would like to get some feedback on landing and taxi light requirements.   

  

 I tend to do a lot of night flying, but am not planning on installing  the standard 2 x 4509 leading edge kit from Zenith, mainly because of the  high power drain and low light/power ratio.  Also, I don't really like the  installation.

  

 I am thinking either 55W automotive driving lights (~ same light as 4509's  - very low cost) or 35W HID driving lights (~about 2-3 times the light of  4509's, much higher cost).  I have never owned an airplane that has such  low landing speeds and am not really sure how much light is needed.  

  

 I am also not decided yet where to install the lights - under fuselage,  attached to gear legs or in the leading edge.

  

 Anyway, any experience or opinions from other 601XL flyers would be  appreciated.  Here is a link to the info about the Xenarc X1010 HID lights:  (Note that you can remove the fog filter in these lamps to get full driving  light power.)

  

 www.suvlights.com

  

 Thanks,

 Andy Elliott, Mesa, AZ

N601GE (601XL/TD, Corvair,  building...)

   [quote][b]

Gig Giacona

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1416
Location: El Dorado Arkansas USA

Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 9:11 am Post subject: Re: Landing/taxi light requirements for 601XL?

I don't think you'll have any problem with using the auto lights though I'd be interested in knowing what you don't like about the leading edge installation.



Putting them any where else is going to add drag without a whole bunch of fairing. And adding them to the gear would put the wires having to run out like the brake lines and I hate the brake lines.

_________________
W.R. "Gig" Giacona
601XL Under Construction
See my progress at www.peoamerica.net/N601WR

Afterfxllc(at)aol.com
Guest

Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 9:24 am Post subject: Landing/taxi light requirements for 601XL?

A good alternative is to use the van's rv landing lights set up .... they  use off the shelf lights from autozone and they work great.

  

 Jeff

  

  

  [quote][b]

billbutlergps(at)aim.com
Guest

Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 9:25 am Post subject: Landing/taxi light requirements for 601XL?

Are you planning to fly under "light sport" license?

 Bill 

 

   

  

 --

Afterfxllc(at)aol.com
Guest

Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 9:30 am Post subject: Landing/taxi light requirements for 601XL?

That was not part of his question. I'm sure he knows he can't night fly  under light sport but he may want to drive around on the ground a few hours  after dark though huh?

  

 do not archive

  

  

  

 In a message dated 12/11/2006 12:26:33 PM Eastern Standard Time,  billbutlergps(at)aim.com writes:

  	  Quote: 	
		     Are you planning to fly under "light sport" license?

Bill    



	


 

  

  [quote][b]

bryanmmartin

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1018

Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 9:38 am Post subject: Landing/taxi light requirements for 601XL?

I installed off-road hid lights in my wing-tips. These give a narrow beam that really reaches out a long way. I would have preferred to have one of these and the other a wider beam light for better side visibility for taxiing but they come in pairs and I wasn't about to buy two sets. The X1010 lights you mentioned might be better as a taxi light than a landing light because of the wide beam. If you had someone else to go in with, you might consider buying a set of X1010s and another set of off-road lights and split them up so each of you could install one as a landing light and the other as a taxi light. 

My lights have worked out pretty well for both purposes since they have to be angled downward to view the runway on final approach they hit the taxi-way about 20 yards ahead of the plane while on the ground and the back scatter does a decent job of lighting up the area.



On Dec 11, 2006, at 11:58 AM, Dr. Andrew Elliott wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		  I am a new builder (601XL/TD/QBK/Corvair, kit delivery this week!) and would like to get some feedback on landing and taxi light requirements. 

   

www.suvlights.com

 

	


-- 

Bryan Martin

N61BM, CH 601 XL,

RAM Subaru, Stratus redrive.



 



 [quote][b]

_________________
--
Bryan Martin
N61BM, CH 601 XL, Stratus Subaru.
do not archive.

Gig Giacona

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1416
Location: El Dorado Arkansas USA

Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 9:43 am Post subject: Re: Landing/taxi light requirements for 601XL?

He also never says ANYTHING about flying as LSA.

[quote="Afterfxllc(at)aol.com"]That was not part of his question. I'm sure he knows he can't night fly  under light sport but he may want to drive around on the ground a few hours  after dark though huh?

  

 do not archive

  

  

  

 In a message dated 12/11/2006 12:26:33 PM Eastern Standard Time,  billbutlergps(at)aim.com writes:

  	  Quote: 	
		     Are you planning to fly under "light sport" license?

Bill    



	


 

  

   	  Quote: 	
		  [b]

_________________
W.R. "Gig" Giacona
601XL Under Construction
See my progress at www.peoamerica.net/N601WR

tya2(at)4-fly.net
Guest

Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 10:04 am Post subject: Landing/taxi light requirements for 601XL?

Dear Andy Elliot,

 

         Are you the guy from the grumman gang?   Maybe the real reason for not installing GE4509s is the high price, low life span when installed in cowling.    The key thing about lights whether aircraft or automotive is what do they illuminate and where are they located and how can you adjust them to see what you need...    Landing lights may be a see and be seen item for the tower, or other aircraft in low viz, they may illuminate other obstacles on the ground when taxiing, and they may show you critters or debris on the runway or taxiway in the dark.   If you can't adjust the pattern of illumination, it doesn't matter what you install they are more show than go...

 

 Reg

 ex AA-1, AA-5, BD-4 and whole bunch of other planes, currently own 1995 Zenith CH2000 with dual 4509s in the left wing.

 

 

 At 09:58 AM 12/11/2006 -0700, you wrote:

 [quote]Folks:

  

 I am a new builder (601XL/TD/QBK/Corvair, kit delivery this week!) and would like to get some feedback on landing and taxi light requirements.  

  

 I tend to do a lot of night flying, but am not planning on installing the standard 2 x 4509 leading edge kit from Zenith, mainly because of the high power drain and low light/power ratio.  Also, I don't really like the installation.

  

 I am thinking either 55W automotive driving lights (~ same light as 4509's - very low cost) or 35W HID driving lights (~about 2-3 times the light of 4509's, much higher cost).  I have never owned an airplane that has such low landing speeds and am not really sure how much light is needed.  

  

 I am also not decided yet where to install the lights - under fuselage, attached to gear legs or in the leading edge.

  

 Anyway, any experience or opinions from other 601XL flyers would be appreciated.  Here is a link to the info about the Xenarc X1010 HID lights: (Note that you can remove the fog filter in these lamps to get full driving light power.)

  

 www.suvlights.com

  

 Thanks,

 Andy Elliott, Mesa, AZ

 N601GE (601XL/TD, Corvair, building...)

 

  	  Quote: 	
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-Matt Dralle, List Admin.

Zenith-List Email Forum -

http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Zenith-List



[/b] 	
[b]

ron.butterfield(at)gmail.
Guest

Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 12:35 pm Post subject: Landing/taxi light requirements for 601XL?

On 12/11/06, Dr. Andrew Elliott <a.s.elliott(at)cox.net> wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		  

 I tend to do a lot of night flying, but am not planning on installing the

 standard 2 x 4509 leading edge kit from Zenith, mainly because of the high

 power drain and low light/power ratio.


	


If your only objection to the 4509 was the power drain, I would

recommend the 50W H7604 instead.



 	  Quote: 	
		   I am thinking either 55W automotive driving lights (~ same light as 4509's -

 very low cost)


	


I personally would be very skeptical of this claim; I tried a pair of

(admittedly cheap) driving lights on my motorcycle and could still see

my shadow from my buddy's stock halogen headlight.



Automotive lights generally put out a spread-out beam, quite unlike

the very bright spot of an aircraft landing light bulb.



-- 

Regards,

RonB

Trainnut01(at)aol.com
Guest

Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 1:30 pm Post subject: Landing/taxi light requirements for 601XL?

Andy

 T will be flying my 601 as an LSA. I will be installing a 55w automotive  "Taxi" light in the wing. Not because I intend to fly or even taxi at night but  because many times in my almost 40 years of flying (next March) I have had tower  operators at smaller tower controlled airports as me to "show a light" It would  embarrass me to tell them that I don't have any lights.

 Carroll Jernigan

 XL Corvair working on the wings (still)

  

 do not archive

  [quote][b]

amyvega2005(at)earthlink.
Guest

Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 4:06 pm Post subject: Landing/taxi light requirements for 601XL?

Trainnut, 

the plus side is LSA allows for one hour after sunset.  Cannot hurt resell value either.



Juan



--

agustafson(at)chartermi.n
Guest

Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 6:22 am Post subject: Landing/taxi light requirements for 601XL?

 	  Quote: 	
		  >> LSA allows for one hour after sunset.


	


Respectful Clarification:   Sport Pilot rule states flying is legal during 

"civil twilight" which is technically  "when the sun is les than 10Â° below 

the horizon".  This amounts to about 25 minutes in my location.

Your location may vary as might the seasonal differences.



A Private Pilot, with night flying endorsement, may fly a LSA (Light Sport 

Aircraft) at night provided that aircraft is properly equipped.

do not archive



Aaron Gustafson

Gig Giacona

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1416
Location: El Dorado Arkansas USA

Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 6:45 am Post subject: Re: Landing/taxi light requirements for 601XL?

Since we are talking about US FARs here I'd like add that there is no "Night Flying Endorsement" for private pilots



A private pilot operating as a private pilot may fly any aircraft that he is legal to fly during the day at night as well as long as it is properly equipped.



A private pilot operating as a LSA pilot (using drivers license as medical) may not operate and LSA aircraft at night.



Here is a great FAQ for rated pilots and operating as a LSA pilot.



http://www.sportpilot.org/questions/afmfaqs.asp?topicid=8



 	  agustafson(at)chartermi.n wrote: 	
		  Respectful Clarification:   Sport Pilot rule states flying is legal during 

"civil twilight" which is technically  "when the sun is les than 10Â° below 

the horizon".  This amounts to about 25 minutes in my location.

Your location may vary as might the seasonal differences.



A Private Pilot, with night flying endorsement, may fly a LSA (Light Sport 

Aircraft) at night provided that aircraft is properly equipped.

do not archive



Aaron Gustafson

_________________
W.R. "Gig" Giacona
601XL Under Construction
See my progress at www.peoamerica.net/N601WR

Tim Juhl

Joined: 21 Mar 2006
Posts: 488
Location: "Thumb" of Michigan

Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 11:19 am Post subject: Re: Landing/taxi light requirements for 601XL?

RE:  GE4509 - They use them on tractors too.   I used to buy them for my Cessna at the local auto parts store...  sometimes they had to order them but they were half the price compared to aviation sources.



Tim

_________________
______________
CFII
Champ L16A flying
Zodiac XL - Jabiru 3300A
Almost done! It'll fly in spring!

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