Hello Ira
Not going to OSH this year.
Its true 5 watt LEDs need great cooling. The LEDs I am proposing are not
drawing 700 mAs each, but 20 mAs each. Heat is not a problem with even
continuous use. That said, many new 5 watt LEDs as offered by Best Hong
Hong live on a fairly large star of aluminium (heat sink) and that
aluminium can live on a piece of conductive metal.
Its true that my idea of a removable landing/taxi light could possibly be
accomplished with some 5 watt LEDs with a 10 degree reflector, could put
in a tube in same area under cowl, and have some air pass through, larger
bump, a lot more heat and a lot more amp draw.
There is no question that a Beechcraft 100 watt, I think 5+1/2" landing
light does a great job. A 3.5" Cessna 100 watt does a good job. A 3.5"
Halogen Cessna 50 watt 3.5" does close to the net usable of the 3.5" 100
watt.
100 watt lamps, and 50s make heat, and lots of it, not great for
composites. Where do you put one on a Europa?
I am proposing a field of approx. 10 square inches of 20mA LEDs, ~240 10mm
12 degree 20mA, and between them ~60 5mm 20 degree 20mA. It will not light
up a path wide enough or forward enough for landing C-130s at Gabreski,
but probably adaquite for a Europa to do a low pass to see if there are
any deer on Gabreskis runway, and see well enough for take off, landing
and taxi.
The arrangement does not need to be square, it can conform to shape of
lower airscoop of cowl, narrow and long, will be adding bout thickness of
a finger to the cowl. Again only take the increase drag when you need
lights, and it will work on both short and long wings.
I have LEDs at hangar, come on over one night and tell me what you think.
The Net light output of the 10mm LEDs I want to use supposedly require
only 1/5th the power in compared to Halogen lamps. Can put 4 or 5 in
series when using ships power.
Ron P.
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