Landing Light Lens

[Txbyker]

I need to replace my cracked and warped landing light lens.  Any ideas where to get one?  Can I just make one?

[rxo188]

I'd like to piggyback on this subject. I would like to replace my yellowed plastic lens as well.  I heard they're an arm and a leg. I was thinking of creating at mold and bending my own plastic.

[jetdriven]

That could qualify under an owner-produced part provided it conforms to the original design.  You could heat the Plexiglas and bend it over a form or perhaps by hand.  For 3$ its worth a try. 

You can duplicate the curve and saw it with a bandsaw out of an 6x6 chunk of wood.  Heat the plexiglass, then place between the wooden forms and clamp them.  Trim to fit and drill the tiny holes at the top when done.

perhaps you can even install it under FAR 43.

7. Replacing bulbs, reflectors, and lenses of position and landing lights.

 

12. Making small simple repairs to fairings, nonstructural cover plates, cowlings, and small patches and reinforcements not changing the contour so as to interfere with proper air flow.

 

 

 

[PTK]

Quote: txbyker

I need to replace my cracked and warped landing light lens.  Any ideas where to get one?  Can I just make one?

[Txbyker]

Cool, thanks.

 

 

[SpookyTex]

I just got mine from GLA this week and it was well worth the $50+. Looks really nice and I dont have to spend hours fabricating or trying to clean the old one.

[DonMuncy]

I can give advice on creating your own lens, if the curvature

[Royski]

My mechanic ordered a replacement landing light lens from the Mooney factory for me a year and a half ago.  I forget the price, but it was reasonable.

[Piloto]

You could use the old lens as a mold. Just cover it with some insulating material like thick cloth. Then heat the new lens with a heat gun and place it (wear gloves) over the old lens pressing it to conform. Try using Lexan instead of plexiglass. Use a dull drill bit to avoid cracking the lens when drilling the holes.

José

 

[jetdriven]

Please do not use Lexan. For starters, the original is plexiglass and any owner-produced part must conform to the original type design. Second, Lexan gets brittle with UV light and after about 2 years, it turns yellow and is easily shattered.  We go went through all this on boats. People use Lexan (polycarbonate) for hatches, and after 2 years, they step on one and fall right through.  It is not the same as Plexiglass. That is arcrylic.

[John Pleisse]

I bought a lens for a 201 from the factory 4 years ago. $44.00. Makes a huge difference... the first time I flew at night, it was quite noticeable. It's a crying shame having a cloudy lens make a 12k paint job look bad.

[Bolter]

Quote: N4352H

I bought a lens for a 201 from the factory 4 years ago. $44.00. Makes a huge difference... the first time I flew at night, it was quite noticeable. It's a crying shame having a cloudy lens make a 12k paint job look bad.

[231Pilot]

$54 from Great Lakes Aero.  Be sure to get a step bit to avoid caracking when any drilling is done.  They are a quality company with quality products.

[Bennett]

There are drill bits optimized for drilling plastic, and I highly recommend their use. The point taper is different, and I have bought sets of them from plastic fabricators such as TAP plastics here on the West Coast. While they are considerably more expensive than regular metal/wood bits, I've never had any cracking or burning in using these drill bits in polycarbonate or arcrylics. The use of a drill press is very helpful.

[PTK]

The link I posted for you does have a button to select the drilled option.

[Txbyker]

PK, thanks for the link.  I ordered a lens today drilled, curved, for $52.  Supposed to get next week.  

[attack64]

I'm looking to purchase one of the replacement landing lights lenses from Great Lakes Aero, can anyone explain the difference of the lens with bumps 2414 and the one without bumps 2414-II? I cannot determine the difference looking at the picture on their website. My aircraft is a M20K and I don't see anything on the current lens that would be considered a bump of any kind.

[DonMuncy]

There were both types; one with only vent holes and one with humps. They are interchangeable. Just take your choice. I have molds for both, but think the humped ones look neater.

[Guest]

A new new or polished lens will do wonders for you new shiny LED bulb.

Clarence

[jrwilson]

On May 21, 2012 at 10:43 AM, 231Pilot said:

$54 from Great Lakes Aero.  Be sure to get a step bit to avoid caracking when any drilling is done.  They are a quality company with quality products.

Can you believe, as of June, 2016, that price is $253.00? The price of plexiglass must have gone crazy in 4 years...

[Bob_Belville]

Great Lakes Aero or LASAR?

I've bought landing light covers from LASAR - Lake Aero Styling & Repair for $50 or $60. http://www.lasar.com/ 

I bought my replacement windows from GLAP - Great Lakes Aero Products, Inc http://www.glapinc.com/

[jrwilson]

That was Great Lakes and knots2u.  Haven't checked lasar.

[jrwilson]

M20K 25-1 thru 25-0999	WITHOUT Bumps - Drilled	.093" Polycarb	$205.03	2414-II
	With Bumps - Drilled	.093" Polycarb	$235.03	2414

[1524J]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DB4OL6A/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Ordered and made my own. Took a couple of minutes. Traced with a safety razor and snapped the edges. Looks and works great. I've got nine sheets left if someone needs some. 

[carusoam]

Acrylic or styrene???

clear plastics aren't all the same...and that site listed three different plastics...

Best regards,

-a-