When a client has a Whelen or Aeroflash 3 light position and strobe light I
prefer to look at how the original builder installed the support.
If the tip light support is made flat with 3 nutplates I prefer to build a
form fit adapter to allow one of the new units to mount to that cleanly. M
y go to light has been the Aveo tip light. But I have no problem with Whel
en's LED unit, neither have I not been happy with changing out the incandes
cent position lights with LED replacement bulbs in the old Whelens. I=92ve
used PSA as a bulb source (located near me) for replacement bulbs. Saves
nearly 9 amps just for the position lights. The strobes still pull about t
wo amps. For the motor glider, I pulled nearly 20 pounds of lighting gear
out of the fuselage and wings by completely rewiring the wings and getting
rid of the Whelen box and replacing the heavy wiring with 20 gauge wire and
converting to new lighter tip lights.
Sealing the tip lights is very important, not that I worry about floating t
ime, but in a wet environment the tip lights will cloud over and even show
water spots in the light. Aveo was very responsive to this as I put one of
the original lights on a mono and a motorglider. Both airplanes stored ou
tside. The lens yellowed terrible on the mono and required buffing and aft
er a few years. Of course, they shined up, but buffing is not normal. The
motorglider was stored outside and mildew and lack of use took their toll
and they showed terrible water intrusion. Both were offered replacement by
Aveo, and I replaced the ones on the motorglider. The Whelens have held u
p well over the years and so has my Skybright. The old Whelens are a bit l
eaky so corrosion and water intrusion can be a problem but is easily cleane
d up.
Below is the original Aveo after two years of owner neglect. Plane was cov
ered in mildew and the tip light had extensive water intrusion.
Wing tip light was replaced by Aveo. After one year it is in need of milde
w control but the lights haven=92t yellowed or shown water intrusion.
Note the difference in size between the tip light sizes. This client wante
d cheap and fast. Well, he got it, and now has a cleaning issue with caulk
vs proper glass, paint and mildew resistant sealant just around the base.
Denatured alcohol cleans the mildew but water intrusion was fixed by Aveo.
[Original Aveo with water intrusion and mildew. Aveo attached to fiberglas
s piece to fit old Whelen mount and simply caulked. After two years outsid
e. This is what it looked like. More cleanup was required. Description a
utomatically generated]
Skybright was a good cost-effective light $330), but I no longer see them.
So, another conversion will need to be made for N12AY one of these days.
Probably to Whelen or Aveo. I have the heavy 18 gauge 3 wire still in my p
lane so I may change out the heavy cable (.4 pounds per foot) and lighten u
p the wiring with the new lights. The Aeroflash tip light is closer to my
Skybright but I don=92t like the shape. Matter of taste I guess.
Whelen, Aveo and Aero LED have a few options for LED tip lights and again,
some sort or change to the mounting has to be made. That makes the outer t
ip light stick out a bit further or one has to grind out and repaint. I do
the transitions using a thin glass support for the new light that covers t
he old holes and screw it down and simply add nutplates to the new cover pl
ate. I prefer to transition the new plate with a bit of glass and foam so
it smoothly grafts the old Whelen mounting plate to the new light as I can
do it quickly. I make a glass or ply mount then use clay to reshape to ble
nd the shapes into the previous nicely fitted and filled tip, Then it is j
ust do the tedious glass, fill, and paint work. Any way you do it, the wor
k will take up a week. I just saw Aeroflash on Aircraft Spruce has a trans
ition or adapter plate but at $120 I can make a nice fiberglass mount for f
ar less and get the look I want.
Just my thoughts,
Bud Yerly
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com <owner-europa-list-server@matr
onics.com> On Behalf Of Area-51
Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2022 8:08 AM
Subject: Europa-List: Wingtip Lights
<mailto:goldsteinindustrial@gmail.com>>
Has anyone experience or knowledge on how to retrofit wingtip nav lights af
ter the wing has been constructed? Thanks
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