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Thread: Changing Landing Light?

  1. #1

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    Default Changing Landing Light?

    Believe it or not I am changing my landing/taxi light for the first time. Do you have to take those four screws and stop nuts off to change the light? This seems like a lot of work but I don't see anyway else to do it. I have the lens off now but stopped working yesterday until I could get more info from our SWPO site. I'm gonna try to get it in later today. I bought a LED taxi light on EBAY for $59 that I am going to try (non PMA'd but the quality appears very good). Any advice on changing the bulb? Thx, kelliots '61 Colt

  2. #2
    Jim Hann's Avatar
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    Default Re: Changing Landing Light?

    Yes, there are four screws on the mount that hold the bulb sandwiched between the front and rear plates. Those screws might be screwed into rivnuts/nutplates or they may have a nut on the back. I swapped out the mount on my new wings because it was all regular nuts and my old one was rivnuts, much easier to change the bulb with "captured" nuts. From there it is the two screw terminals on the bulb and reassemble.

    Jim

    EDIT: I thought the first picture was the mount in the wing, couldn't tell in the thumbnail, I had removed the entire mount (the lights in the second shot.) Take a look at the picture of the landing light kit on Univair's website and you'll get a good idea of what all is in the mount.
    IMG_0976.jpgIMG_0977.jpg
    Last edited by Jim Hann; 02-19-2017 at 11:32 AM. Reason: Expanded info
    1957 PA-22/20 "Super Pacer" based 1H0
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    Administrator Steve Pierce's Avatar
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    Default Re: Changing Landing Light?

    You can remove the small square individual frames that retain the light itself. There may be Riv-nuts like Jim posted but sometimes there are regular nuts on the back that require a little contortion to get to. I like to install nut plates here when all is removed for ease of installation in the future.

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    Homer Landreth's Avatar
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    Default Re: Changing Landing Light?

    Quote Originally Posted by Kelliots View Post
    Believe it or not I am changing my landing/taxi light for the first time. Do you have to take those four screws and stop nuts off to change the light? This seems like a lot of work but I don't see anyway else to do it. I have the lens off now but stopped working yesterday until I could get more info from our SWPO site. I'm gonna try to get it in later today. I bought a LED taxi light on EBAY for $59 that I am going to try (non PMA'd but the quality appears very good). Any advice on changing the bulb? Thx, kelliots '61 Colt
    Some advice that you probably don't want is; It is not a really good idea to advertise on a WEB site that you are installing non-PMA parts in your airplane. First off, your tail number is broadcast, and on your next annual, an IA doing some record checking or AD verification may recognize it and now you have put him into the uncomfortable position of looking the other way from a known problem with airworthiness of your plane or making you take the light out. Parts get PMA after a lot of evaluation and testing, the granting of PMA is (with a few exceptions) considerably safety related, and not given just because it "appears good". As example, your light may not have PMA because of some nasty explosion containment deficiencies and you are installing it a few feet from your left gas tank. On the activity side of this issue, be very careful "sandwiching" the bulb in the mount, make sure you are evenly torquing down the screws because you can break your new bulb if you are not careful.

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    Administrator Steve Pierce's Avatar
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    Default Re: Changing Landing Light?

    Quote Originally Posted by Homer Landreth View Post
    Some advice that you probably don't want is; It is not a really good idea to advertise on a WEB site that you are installing non-PMA parts in your airplane. First off, your tail number is broadcast, and on your next annual, an IA doing some record checking or AD verification may recognize it and now you have put him into the uncomfortable position of looking the other way from a known problem with airworthiness of your plane or making you take the light out. Parts get PMA after a lot of evaluation and testing, the granting of PMA is (with a few exceptions) considerably safety related, and not given just because it "appears good". As example, your light may not have PMA because of some nasty explosion containment deficiencies and you are installing it a few feet from your left gas tank. On the activity side of this issue, be very careful "sandwiching" the bulb in the mount, make sure you are evenly torquing down the screws because you can break your new bulb if you are not careful.
    Are landing light bulbs PMA'd, come to think of it I am not sure if I have seen a TSO either. I know the new LEDs etc. are STC'd but had not thought about some of these other non-aviation bulbs. I have installed a lot of the Aero LEDs and really like them plus I am covered by the STC.

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    Default Re: Changing Landing Light?

    Quote Originally Posted by Steve Pierce View Post
    Are landing light bulbs PMA'd, come to think of it I am not sure if I have seen a TSO either. I know the new LEDs etc. are STC'd but had not thought about some of these other non-aviation bulbs. I have installed a lot of the Aero LEDs and really like them plus I am covered by the STC.
    These were advertised as PAR 36 "non-PMA'd bulbs." They have a solid aluminum housing and over-voltage protection built in just like the more expensive ones. I'll evaluate them and decide whether or not to keep them installed. After working on planes as an A & P for over 40 years and looking at PMA'd versus non PMA's parts and "aviation approved" versus regular parts I have found many aircraft parts are simply auto parts being used on airplanes (many PA 28 alternators are old Chrysler units). Alternator belts are another example. I would never install any part on my plane if I did not think it was safe and did the job it was intended to do.

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    Default Re: Changing Landing Light?

    A good point, thanks.

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    Default Re: Changing Landing Light?

    Thanks, mime have the four regular nuts.

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    Administrator Steve Pierce's Avatar
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    Default Re: Changing Landing Light?

    Quote Originally Posted by Kelliots View Post
    After working on planes as an A & P for over 40 years and looking at PMA'd versus non PMA's parts and "aviation approved" versus regular parts I have found many aircraft parts are simply auto parts being used on airplanes (many PA 28 alternators are old Chrysler units). Alternator belts are another example.
    This is true but when something happens and you are across the table from the FAA and the lawyers you want a leg to stand on.

  10. #10

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    Default Re: Changing Landing Light?

    Another example is the GE 4509 bulb used in the PA 22s. I beleive this is an old auto lightbulb originally. I wonder if it is "PMA"? Or the Q4509?

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