Hello guys.
Has anyone got the working knowledge, used or replaced your Cirrus’s landing light with “AEROLEDs sunbeam”?
It has some very useful function (WigWag), but importantly its price being a fraction of the LoPresti!
Thanks
Mo
I looked at the Aeroled but looking at the light output did not seem to be too bright. I installed an XeVision (xevision dit con) replacement myself with local A&P signify and filed an FAA Form 337. Also a fraction of Boom Beam.
Pat
Thanks Pat for the info.
Just looked at their website and their products, could only see one with a mention of cirrus (XV-19-W). Is this the one you fitted?
Did you make use of the aircraft’s supplied ballast (LoPresti) or you had to change the ballast and the connectors etc…
Patrick,
I would make sure that your lights approved via field approval. I believe XE vision does not have STC.
Best,
Tyler
Pat,
Tyler’s suggestion is a good one. Long ago I tried to get a field approval to install that in mine. My FSDO said no and would not approve it.
Gents, notice in my post I got a 337 approved by the FAA. Was very easy. The XeVision website has several examples of previously approved 337s to use as templates. I just used one of those as an example.
Thanks!
Pat
A 337 is filled out when you put an STC on as well, just wanted to provide insight just in case you did not have the FAA do a field approval.
Tyler
Every FSDO is different. Using those same 337’s as an example of prior approval all I got was - well that should not have been approved. Glad yours got approved.
Roger your actually right. There is specific language written by the FAA not allowing HID to be field approved, but sometimes in cases like this it doesn’t get caught. Depends on the FISDO
Relationships with the FSDO go a long way. Try to ferry a plane out of NY after a prop strike now using the Minneapolis office. Btw, thanks Ross!
Ah, gotcha, good points!
Pat
I ended up using the XeVision ballast XV4D-24-50 and spliced their input power pigtail part number XVPP-3D-2 to the existing input power harness since the connector at the ballast is different geometry, and then replaced the output power harness with their part number XVLC-6-s. I retained the original Cirrus bulb assembly. While I was doing this I spliced in an Amphenol MIL-SPEC connector for disconnecting the power cable for cowl removal.
Sorry I don’t have any pictures of the installation!
Pat
Pat,
Many thanks for the information and very much appreciated.
I certainly consider the XeVision positively as a replacement for the current HID installation (LoPresti) due to only cost. The current HID bulb supplied by LoPresti seems to be a D1S type (I will be checking on this tomorrow), which is designed for cars and you could buy them on Amazon, but of course can not be fitted without the paperwork (the same bulb is also supplied by XeVision)!!
Now, I need to find out why the landing light doesn’t come on!!!
Hi Mo I would also love to know if anyone has fitted the Aeroled Sunbeam to their Cirrus ! The new version has gone from 16,000 lumens to 90,000 lumens so should be pretty good.
Many thanks Rodger from NZ
Hi Rodger,
First of all, our aircraft is used for flight training and has to be maintained by an approved maintenance organisation under EASA rules and regulation (Part M), so basically maintenance wouldn’t fit an un-certified EASA part!! The fault with the landing light was down to MCU (Master Controller Unit), so there was no need to change the landing light.
I know of one Cirrus owner whom replaced his landing light with a simple LED (not the Aero LED), quite bright but that is it, his aircraft was “N” reg so relatively straight forward task. If you want to change the light, then find out if you can get it fitted first. I personally wouldn’t change anything for the sake of it. If you have a broken light then fair enough consider the option, otherwise I would leave it alone. And the same for us, when the landing light has failed, then we would definitely consider the Wig-Wag light, I am hoping that by then someone else has had the modification done so we can use his paperwork!!!
Good luck.
Mo Nejad
Clifton Aviation, UK
We have the Aeroleds 36-4596 and have had it for about 3 years. It’s quite bright and so far in about 750 Hobbs hours have had zero issues with it. It’s not cheap at all, but it does work well.
Brian,
Did you replace it yourself or have your A&P do it?
what about the rewiring?
I think on that one the airplane was going into annual anyway so our A&P did it, but it’s super easy. It’s just a drop in replacement bulb. No re-wiring or anything required assuming you’re replacing a PAR36 bulb.
this is the one I have. looks to be the correct size for direct replacement
That doesn’t look correct. The PAR36 bulb is round.
So ours is a G1 with the PAR36 style bulb. I think yours is where they started using HID bulbs on the SR20 meaning I do not think you could easily switch to the Aeroled 36 4596 setup which is designed as a PMAd par 36 replacement.