Legacy Whelen "coffee grinder" beacon

[RobertGary1]

On 12/13/2020 at 6:38 AM, PJClark said:

Anyone installed one of these?

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/aveoredbaronmaxired3.php

 

Not sure how you'd do it. Not sure an A&P would sign it off as a minor mod since its for experimental. I've heard the FAA doesn't like signing 337's for experimental parts when more expensive certified parts exist.

-Robert

[65eTurbo]

On 1/4/2021 at 9:17 AM, Mark605 said:

If you that, you have the choice between not having any lights available for ground recognition, or taxiing around with your strobes on blinding people and looking like a cirrus pilot. 

Better to look like one than to be one.

[Seth]

On 12/12/2020 at 7:44 PM, Brian E. said:

Bite the bullet PJ.  The load shed, quality of light output and confidence in operation will be worth it.  You'll spend as much to install the new one as you would having the A&P troubleshoot the current one.

That's what I was going to do with my M20F - we had spent so much troubleshooting and getting it working again 3-4 times over 3 years that if it happened again I was just going to order an LED - that was in 2008-2011 when they were more expensive too. I admit - Even though my Missile now has strobes in three locations and thus doesn't require the beacon, and I also have LED lights all over including a pulsing taxi light and separate landing light in the nose (Modified M20K cowling on the MIssile) - I miss having a beacon! Especially at night in big airports when the strobes can bother other taxiing aircraft. I have my taxi light on and nav lights on in those conditions.

-Seth

[DJE22]

Hhmm, I have a belly strobe that seems to have an intermittent pwr supply issue. That is, the strobe works occasionally. Replaced the light at annual 2019 and have since learned that even with the new bulb it only works part time...kinda like the pilot

wondering if a new LED strobe will help. Do they require the power supply like the old whelen’s?

[tmo]

I believe all LED lights have integrated power supplies. IOW, you feed them DC (14, 28 volts) and possibly a sync signal for strobes and you're good. No high current power supplies like the old strobes.

[FlyingDude]

On 1/4/2021 at 9:29 AM, 65eTurbo said:

If you have a tail strobe, you could remove it and cover with an inside flush patch panel.  You still can be seen from behind.  It's the perfect mod. Saves weight, lowers drag, and saves a few watts.

I did.

I'm considering that for much more mundane reasons: it collects lead and gunk, and the grinding noise is annoying.  Even to the passengers.  I had one ask me before starting the engine "what's that grinding noise?" with a rather worried face.  Of course, if I can gain 5kts and save 1gph fuel, all the merrier.

What paperwork is necessary?  Just a logbook entry or a full-blown 337?  

Thank you.

PS: I wish I "looked" like a Cirrus driver.  Or I wish I was that rich.  I'd sell the Cirrus and get myself a Malibu (or Mirage).  

[bradp]

6 hours ago, FlyingDude said:

What paperwork is necessary?  Just a logbook entry or a full-blown 337?  

Whelen lights require a log book entry 

[Pinecone]

On 1/4/2021 at 10:17 AM, Mark605 said:

If you that, you have the choice between not having any lights available for ground recognition, or taxiing around with your strobes on blinding people and looking like a cirrus pilot. 

I agree.

I was taught that the beacon went on as soon as the master was one.  That was a warning to people around that engine start was eminent and watch out.

Also, I like the idea of leaving the beacon switch on at all times.  It makes it pretty obvious if you forget to turn off the master.

Mine has been removed, with an internal plate (not flush) to cover the hole.  I will probably put the Whelan (or maybe that Aveo) back.

 

[FlyingDude]

11 hours ago, bradp said:

Whelen lights require a log book entry 

Logbook entry For the complete removal, right?  Not just for replacing coffee grinder with LEDs.

 Thanks

[Shadrach]

On 10/5/2022 at 3:15 PM, FlyingDude said:

I'm considering that for much more mundane reasons: it collects lead and gunk, and the grinding noise is annoying.  Even to the passengers.  I had one ask me before starting the engine "what's that grinding noise?" with a rather worried face.  Of course, if I can gain 5kts and save 1gph fuel, all the merrier.

What paperwork is necessary?  Just a logbook entry or a full-blown 337?  

Thank you.

PS: I wish I "looked" like a Cirrus driver.  Or I wish I was that rich.  I'd sell the Cirrus and get myself a Malibu (or Mirage).  

Some controllers like the way beacons look on the ground.  They are very visible from the tower as they project a large moving circle onto the ground beneath the aircraft.

I removed, cleaned and lubed the rotating beacon on my plane nearly 10 years ago.  I was surprised by the quality of the build and the materials used. The electrical tape around the brushes (still in great shape) was still sticky and pliable after nearly 50 years. All of the sealed bearings (made in Germany) were in excellent shape. It runs like a top to this day.  Very few things today are made with max quality in mind. 

[EricJ]

41 minutes ago, Shadrach said:

I removed, cleaned and lubed the rotating beacon on my plane nearly 10 years ago.  I was surprised by the quality of the build and the materials used. The electrical tape around the brushes (still in great shape) was still sticky and pliable after nearly 50 years. All of the sealed bearings (made in Germany) were in excellent shape. It runs like a top to this day.  Very few things today are made with max quality in mind. 

That was kind of the norm back then, though.   I needed to recover some old audio from reel-to-reel tapes, which meant I had to rehab my 1970s Sony TC-270 reel-to-reel transport to get it working again, after sitting for about twenty-five years.    The only thing keeping it from working was getting the solidified, coagulated grease out of all the transport mechanisms and cleaning some contacts.   The thing is built like a tank.    There's no way any consumer item could be built like that today and be marketable.

[FlyingDude]

Thanks for the info, guys… I had some conversations outside of ms as well… Beacon is staying …