Changing Landing Light?

[Kelliots]

Yes, a very good point you make with the dreaded lawyers.

[Homer Landreth]

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?

GE 4509 is FAA/PMA approved.
Most LED landing lights are coming out FAA/PMA approved.
As far as a TSO, Navigation lights have TSO C30c.
If you are interested (or if you need to get some sleep and don't have any Sominex handy ) The PMA process for the ACO is contained in FAA Order 8110.42D.

In the new proposals in FAR Part 23 Airworthiness Certification Standards the FAA is proposing to revamp the certification process for small aircraft, moving away from prescriptive design requirements and instead instituting a new system of performance-based airworthiness standards. This should resolve a lot of PMA, TSO,Field approval current problems, however my experience in getting them to do that same thing to ADSB Out equipment makes me a little bit skeptical of that happening in any of our lifetimes.

[Steve Pierce]

I read CAR 3 on the landing light and not very definitive.

[Quietwater]

I bought a headlight bulb for my lawn tractor from Tractor Supply and the package said "aircraft". It was exactly like the bulbs for a ShortWing, but a hell of a lot less expensive.

Edit: I just checked the price from Spruce on similar bulbs. They were actually cheaper than Tractor Supply. Who knew?

[Chris Iriarte]

http://www.avweb.com/blogs/insider/A..._203196-1.html

[Homer Landreth]

http://www.avweb.com/blogs/insider/A..._203196-1.html

This statement in the AvWeb is incorrect:
The venerable GE 4509 bulb—the gold standard for landing lights—carries no TSO or PMA of any kind.
Wag Aero Catalog attached.


Be careful about greps of stuff on the WEB, look at the date of this AvWeb:
August 29, 2010
That was 6 1/2 years ago.

[Kelliots]

I got the new taxi LED bulb halfway installed so I can test it. Really bright light, bulb not over heating, no immediate shorts. I kept it turned on for about 15 minutes to monitor it. I think its going to work just fine. However it did fit a little tight in the rubber gasket on the inner plate, so I removed the rubber ring but kept the rubber ring on the outer plate. I may put a thinner rubber gasket on the inner plate before I finish the job, also going to install nutplates in lieu of the regular nuts that were installed, at least in the lower holes. It would be very difficult to get the lower nuts back on cuz you can't get a finger in there thru the small corner opening.

[Kelliots]

BTW, all this PMA, non-PMA, FAA approved, not approved discussion is very interesting, I am learning lots of new information. I installed the Hawker SBS battery with a logbook entry after reading Steve's post on that subject. Heck of a better battery, 10x better than a Gill and weighs less. And thus I feel is a safer battery since it is more reliable and holds a charge longer. I think a lot of "FAA approval" is just a paperwork exercise and the FAA is 20 years behind the technology curve. (Not talking PMA approved though - that is a good thing)

[Steve Pierce]

This statement in the AvWeb is incorrect:
The venerable GE 4509 bulb—the gold standard for landing lights—carries no TSO or PMA of any kind.
Wag Aero Catalog attached.


Be careful about greps of stuff on the WEB, look at the date of this AvWeb:
August 29, 2010
That was 6 1/2 years ago.

That would be an interesting thing to research. For some reason I trust AvWeb over Wag Aero agaianst popular trends.

[Kelliots]

I've decided to do some more bench testing and research on the new bulb before I install it. I read the AVWEB article and I am still confused on what the regs require for installing a landing/taxi light. According to the article, these lights don't even require PMA/STC approval. However, nav lights do which is weird. The replacement parts issue is perhaps the biggest hassle when owning an older CAR Part 3 certified airplane.