Cessna landing lights
racu...@uwyo.edu
frequent burnouts on single lamp model acft. Can't seem to get more than
12 flight hours out of them whether te they are being used or not. Seems
they are mounted on the cowl so they come in contact with the starter.
Thanks, Bob.
Kenneth Adelman
I've had the same problem in a Cessna 150 with the stock GE 4509
burning out. Try replacing it with either a Quartz GE Q4509 ($25-$30) or
a GE 4595 (cheaper, but 30% of the light output as the original bulb,
and probably more heat because that energy has to go someplace); I've
had good luck with either.
The GE Q4509 might even be considered a legal replacement for the
GE 4509.
I've found that either bulb has about 20 times the life as the
original GE 4509.
Ken
RavenGraph
I used to work for a flight school in Detroit. Same problem.
1. The filiment gets hot during use, making it extremely soft, and
suseptable to vibration.
2. In the cowl, it has to put up with engine vibration as well as the
shock of the nose wheel contact on the runway. <snap!>
The only way to extend the life of the standard bulbs is to use them
sparingly, and be veeeerrrryyy gentle rotating the the nose down on
landing.
You can see where there's a proble here when using it for primary
instruction.
Rod Rakic
ASEL
N3216V
I had that problem on a '78 172. I would maybe get 5 hours. Sometimes the
bulb would literally break! The engineering on this one was not done by a
rocket scientist! To put that bulb in the nose...
Anyway, a mechanic at AMR Combs in Birmingham fabricated a little rubber
bumper and attached it to the back of the landing light housing. I've
gotten over 200 hours on my bulb that's in there now! Not bad, huh?
Needless to say, I was thrilled.
Need more info? Let me know.
Chuckio
cause burn out.
patterson,george r
>Try not to touch the lens of the lamp with bare hands. The oil tends to
>cause burn out.
If you do touch it, clean it off with methanol or denatured alcohol. Don't
use rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol; it contains some oil.
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Keith Arnold
R:frequent burnouts on single lamp model acft. Can't seem to get more than
R:12 flight hours out of them whether te they are being used or not. Seems
R:they are mounted on the cowl so they come in contact with the starter.
R:Thanks, Bob.
----------->
The quartz version works for me. Used to need to replace the old lamps
a couple times a year. try Chief Aircraft of Oregon at 800-447-3408 and
ask for GE part # Q4509 landing light (100W) for $24.95
* Yorba Linda, CA - - Internet:Keith....@ECTECH.COM
* 33o54'18.90"N 117o46'02.52"W N3431R
Tim Kramer
> R:Not sure if this is the correct forum but I'm looking for solutions to very
> R:frequent burnouts on single lamp model acft. Can't seem to get more than
> R:12 flight hours out of them whether te they are being used or not. Seems
> R:they are mounted on the cowl so they come in contact with the starter.
> R:Thanks, Bob.
> ----------->
>
Here are two quick tricks you might try. First be sure to orient the lamp
so that the filament is in the vertical position, i.e. running up and down
as opposed to horizontal. This seems to minimize the vibration problem and
correspondingly increase bulb life. The other is the fact that the 4509 bulbs
can be had at a farm supply store for $5.00 a piece versus the $25.00 rip-off
price from aviation supply shops. Same bulb, sams FAA/PMA no. printed on it.
A well kept secret! I think you can get the quartz bulb as well. Evidently
the John Deere folks use these bulbs on thier tractors.
Hope this is helpfull,
Tim Kramer
N30450 C-177A
Eric Williams Witherspoon
>(tricks about bulbs trimmed)
I contacted the Cessna Pilots Association about this, and besides admitting
that "it's a problem with ALL the cowl mounted lights" they directed me
to two sources:
RMD Aircraft Lighting (Bob DeBord) 503-681-0685. He makes wingtips with
either landing or identification lights in them. He has STC's for them.
They run about $1100/pair. He's got them for the 172 and some larger
models, but I was interested in the 152. He's working on the 177 right
now, and expects to have the 152 parts in production (and STC'd) in
6 to 10 months. These are droop-style wingtips and they re-use the existing
position light housings. (Though he implied that if I were to send money
immediately, he'd get them done in 6-10 weeks.) Anyone else go through
enough light bulbs to form a buying group? Maybe we could negotiate the
price if we bought, say 10 pair. (I'd probably be in for two pair.)
Your 152 would be the most awesome on the field with alternating flashing
wingtip landing lights.
He does a complete kit - wiring and switches included.
Another source (the only one with an STC for 152's) is:
PMDB, Inc.
Sunrise Aviation
1314 26th Ave NW
Gig Harbor, Wa. 98335
STC# SA-4711NM "Installation of Sunrise Aviation Sunlighter Landing Lights"
I believe this is for a wing-mount, similar to the way Cessna USED TO make
them. (Can you say GE paid them to change this?)
Anyone know their phone number? Information doesn't have one for PMDB or
Sunrise Aviation.
(Sorry this isn't in rec.av.owning. I don't own, and don't read that one.)
--
Eric Witherspoon, CFI/ASEL * "Do or do not. There is no try!"
gt9...@prism.gatech.edu * -Yoda
"Many have the will to win. Few have the will to prepare to win." -Anon.