Source for landing light cover?

[AndreiC]

Hello all,

I have a 1970 Mooney M20E. My landing light cover is badly cracked and also seems kind of hazy (see picture). I'd like to replace it. Does anyone have a source for it? Everyone says to manufacture one out of a sheet of plexiglas, but I worry about working with plexiglass, I am not such a great handyman.

I called LASAR and they told me they do not sell the one for the early models, only from J on (part number 650189-001). They suggested I get the one for a J which supposedly is larger, and trim it to size. This would cost $300 for the original Mooney one, or $175 for their PMA'd one. This seems steep for something I still have to work on (and risk messing up).

Any other suggestions?

Thanks,

Andrei.

[Jsno]

Working with plexiglass is not that difficult.  You can cut it with a coping saw and the heat it with a heat gun until it is soft.  Then use the old piece as a form and drop it on top while still soft and it will form the contour.  There are drill bits for plexiglass so that you will not craze the glass around the holes.  If you mess up, just cut out another piece.  Could cut it a little large and sand it to size.Waar gloves and a dust mask and sand the edges with fine sand paper so the it will not be sharp.  Good luck!

[EricJ]

The aviation aisle at Home Depot or Lowe's or anywhere that sells polycarbonate (e.g., Lexan) or acrylic (e.g., Plexiglass) sheet.   Take your old one off and take it with you or just measure the thickness and get one big enough.    Cut to size and shape.   If you get acrylic, look online for the proper drill bits and technique to use to drill the holes.   

 

[PT20J]

LASAR's parts markup seems to have increased lately. The PMA version comes from GLAP (which I believe is also the OEM supplier to Mooney). GLAP shows a M20J lens for $99.40. I know for the wing lenses GLAP will trim to size if you send them the old one, so they might do that for the cowl lens. I'd call them and ask. http://www.glapinc.com/Mooney/m20j.htm

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[Ragsf15e]

5 hours ago, EricJ said:

The aviation aisle at Home Depot or Lowe's or anywhere that sells polycarbonate (e.g., Lexan) or acrylic (e.g., Plexiglass) sheet.   Take your old one off and take it with you or just measure the thickness and get one big enough.    Cut to size and shape.   If you get acrylic, look online for the proper drill bits and technique to use to drill the holes.   

 

I guess I didn’t even realize the old models had a cover… mine doesn’t.  Just the led lamp face (whelen).  Maybe that’s losing me 1.69 kts?!  How does the cover attach to the cowl?  I don’t seem to have those tabs?

Edited November 8, 2023 by Ragsf15e

[Pinecone]

@DonMuncy makes these for a number of models.

[47U]

3 hours ago, Ragsf15e said:

How does the cover attach to the cowl?  I don’t seem to have those tabs?

My ‘63 C didn’t have a landing light cover.  When my Dad put a 3-blade prop on the ‘63 C back in he ‘90s, he didn’t like the harmonics.  He got the prop dynamically balanced, still didn’t like it.  Finally, the prop guy said to put a lens over the landing light.  That did the trick.

This is a crappy picture (I was stripping parts prior to repaint, but it’s the best picture I have), it shows the landing light retainer ring, and the lens attachment band with the tabs to attach the lens is next to it.  It’s laying flat, but gets rolled up into the landing light recess.  It’s held in place with some sheet metal screws so it can be removed to replace the landing light.  It’s be pretty easy to make one… the plexi lens might be the hardest part.

 

[AndreiC]

OK, I think I'll try to go for the ARI cover. I'll report back on how it goes in. Thanks for all the feedback.

[tmo]

First OPP I had made... I think I paid like $10 for a set of two (two different plastics).

[Utah20Gflyer]

I made one out of Lexan using a jig saw and a sander.  You can buy special polycarbonate blades for the jig saw that will be less likely to chip the material.   Use the old part as a template Make the part slightly bigger and sand to final size.  Don’t forget to bevel the edges to reduce the likelihood of cracks.   There are also special drill bits for polycarbonate to drill the holes.  
 

Or I’m sure you could pay an A&P to make one for you.  If you handed them the parts I’m sure it wouldn’t take more than an hour.  

[PT20J]

Lexan (i.e. polycarbonate) is more flexible and less brittle than acrylic so it’s less likely to crack. I’ve found step drill bits to be the best for drilling holes in all plastics. Seems like you would still need to get the curve as the lens in the picture appears slightly convex. You could make a cast of the underside with plaster of Paris and then heat a piece of Lexan over it with a heat gun and then trim it to size.