HID Lighting

[CoachTom]

Anyone make the plunge?

Do they really light up the runway as advertised or last through landings and taxi? 

I need to upgrade as both of mine have blown again on me and I seem to have started to enjoy black out landings...

Thanks in advance!

[RJBrown]

I had a 80 231/rocket with the lights in the nose. They were a preflight check if Night was a possibility. The bulbs went bad regularly. I added a set in the left wing when it was repainted. Best upgrade in my opinion. Went 3+ years without putting bulbs in the wings.

[scottfromiowa]

Yes.

Yes.

I put an XE (Zee-vision) landing light in my '66.  STC was NOT a difficult process.  I was tired of taxing and landing in the dark with the antiquated old OEM cowl light.  I leave the light on ALL THE TIME as it's rated at 1500+ hours/filiment.  Draws VERY LITTLE Amperage.  Very pleased with the light.  Check 'em out on line.  Very nice kit and better output than boom-beam...at least at the time of my purchase.  Significantly less $$ too.

[roundout]

They do work as advertised and last a long time. Whether the upgrade is worth the money is a different story. 

[KSMooniac]

I'm also a happy XeVision user for 3 years now in my J.  Very nice upgrade.  If choosing today, though, I would compare them against the newest LED products like I saw at OSH.  AeroLED was the vendor that had some certified/STC options for landing lights and nav/strobes as well (I think that is who it was!). 

[CoachTom]

Is there a Mooney "kit" to retrofit the 231 with wing lamps as opposed to or including cowl lamps?  Or is this a third party mod/STC that can be applied to the aircraft?

I can see how there is significantly less vibration in the wing vice the cowl, but did not know if the wing was typical with the newer aircraft or could be retrofitted.  Any help into this add or mod would be appreciated.  And yes, as part of my preflight I do check my lamps on the walk around power on, but those bulbs seem to blow so frequently and also at the worst of times.

 

[DaV8or]

Quote: KSMooniac

I'm also a happy XeVision user for 3 years now in my J.  Very nice upgrade.  If choosing today, though, I would compare them against the newest LED products like I saw at OSH.  AeroLED was the vendor that had some certified/STC options for landing lights and nav/strobes as well (I think that is who it was!). 

[Mooney_Allegro]

I went with the PreciseFlight HID's for the landing lights and taxi lights in each wing plus pulsing of the landing lights only.  I also went with Whelen LED nav lights on the wings.  They are all VERY bright.  It lights up the runway and taxiway like a 737 now plus they don't burn out like the old landing/taxi lights did. I was always replacing one or more every so many months w/4 of them installed.  I think with the install and lights not including the nav lights, it was $4400 total.  The nav lights were an extra $300 plus install and painting. Both were show special pricing.

[RJBrown]

Quote: CoachTom

Is there a Mooney "kit" to retrofit the 231 with wing lamps as opposed to or including cowl lamps?  Or is this a third party mod/STC that can be applied to the aircraft?

I can see how there is significantly less vibration in the wing vice the cowl, but did not know if the wing was typical with the newer aircraft or could be retrofitted.  Any help into this add or mod would be appreciated.  And yes, as part of my preflight I do check my lamps on the walk around power on, but those bulbs seem to blow so frequently and also at the worst of times.