LED Strobe Lights????

[gileraguy]

Saw a High wing Light Aircraft flying South East of Adelaide late yesterday afternoon and it appeared to have flashing lights in the leading edges of the wings, approximately halfway between the fuselage and the wing tip.

The flashing lights alternated from one wing to the other...

Anyone know what system it could have been?

Conditions were overcast and the aircraft really stood out well.

[Jabawocky]

Not uncommon especially in the experimental fleet, but now with LED technology becoming more viable in the certified fleet you will see a lot more.

Wig Wag it is called. :ok:

[uncle8]

Aviat Husky offer this Wig Wag system of alternating landing lights, one on each wing. You can buy the system for your aircraft KUNTZLEMAN WIG WAG from Aircraft Spruce (http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/wigwagn.php?clickkey=1712958)

[Squawk7700]

You can also get a box nowadays that automatically switches from wagging to fixed when you get close to landing... All automagically !

In my opinion yellow halogen globes offer greater visibility than most of today's led equivalents.

[Sunfish]

Aeroled Microsun landing lights have a built in wig-wag function.

? Experimental (http://www.aeroleds.com/shop/category/experimental-landing-lights/)

[50 50]

Sounds flashy:) but why do you want alternating landing lights?

[RadioSaigon]

Ahhhhmmmm 50 50 -ever heard of "See and Avoid"???

Islanders I used to fly a few decades ago had the system installed. Can't remember what it was called now, but it sure as all hell wasn't Wig Wag. IMO a fantastic system, particularly useful in high traffic density and/or terrain confined areas. Should be standard. Works just as well with the old incandescent lights as it does with the newer LED's.

[Tarq57]

Sounds flashy:) but why do you want alternating landing lights?
As said above, it's a seriously good attention-getter.
Local flights in busy (esp. unattended) locations in NZ have used these for quite a while.

[50 50]

Yes I have heard of see and avoid. I have never had any trouble seeing an aircraft fitted with a strobe, Nav lights, rotating beacon, and conventional landing lights.
Or avoiding an aircraft fitted with no lights.

I do love how many people drop the old, I've been flying for decades.
Ever hear of not being a condescending ass?

[Squawk7700]

Most fire fighting aircraft and the Dash 8's are fitted with wig-waggers. Helps with the birds I hear and significantly enhances visibility of the aircraft.

I have never seen a strobe before I saw the aircraft but have definitely seen wig-waggers before the aircraft.

[rutan around]

Or avoiding an aircraft fitted with no lights. With all due respect 50-50 how do you know how many you didn't see but were lucky enough not to hit?

Wig wag lights would certainly give certainty that the light you see in the far distance is an aircraft. A few times I have seen a very bright light apparently coming at me and fretted about whether it was another aircraft and if so was it at my altitude. On all occasions it turned out to be either an oil rig light or the sun reflecting off something.

Of course not wig wagging doesn't mean it's not an aircraft but if most had it fitted it would speed up the recognise and avoid action.

[skkm]

Wig wag also extends (halogen) bulb life as well, apparently. Win-win situation. :ok:

[50 50]

Rutan, you raise an excellent point. I have no idea how many aircraft I haven't seen, couldn't possibly. I didn't say anything for or against wig wag lights, just asked why people wanted them.

[KRviator]

Even the 737 has wig-wags on their landing lights. I've seen several 737's on final into Sydney doing it.

My RV has a Vertical Power VP-X managing it's electrics and one of the features is the ability to automatically wig-wag the landing lights above a certain airspeed.

You can also get actual LED strobes now, from companies like Aveo or Whelen if you so choose.

[Ultralights]

http://www.xevision.com/images/pulsing-actual-1s.gif

[ACMS]

Huh?

This ain't new, pulsing landing lights ( yes their correct name ) have been fitted to Aircraft and Helicopters for years. First time I saw it was on a SWA 737 over 15 years ago.
Qantas has them on 737's and Dash 8's
Their 737's even have pulsing Logo lights.....now that's crazy!!!:cool:

They are to make the Aircraft more visible to Humans and Birds...:ok:

[RadioSaigon]

Far from being your "condescending ass" as you so kindly put it 50 50, my intent was to highlight that there is in fact, nothing new about this system at all. They've been around and in-use a long time. I think rutan around and Squawk7700 have hit the nail on the head.

Thanks ACMS, that's exactly what it was called.

[Pinky the pilot]

Islanders I used to fly a few decades ago had the system installed.

Why????:confused::E

The flaming' things were so bloody noisy you couldn't possibly not know that one was around!:eek::D;)

How's your hearing these days BTW RadioSaigon?:}

[frangatang]

Had LED strobes, which can wigwag or do whatever...for my RV, made up in singapore. Sin$80, for each wing...in simlim tower near faties.

[cattletruck]

Being LEDs their narrow bandwidth of intense light can be easily filtered down with NVGs, along with numerous other benefits.

[HarleyD]

We have fitted some number of these:

https://preciseflight.com/general-aviation/shop/pulselite-general-aviation/

To some para military aircraft for the USA some years ago. These had halogen lights.

Currently fly aircraft with LEDs and have Wig Wag fitted. Wanky name but works well. Same as the Pulse Lites.

HD

[Creampuff]

The MaxPulse gizmo is STC'd for many light aircraft.

[Tight Anium]

Possibly Pulselite installation?

Benefits - increased visibility, increased bulb life and reduced occurrence of bird strike.

Some interesting facts from the Qantas trial in this document
https://preciseflight.com/resources/doc/Precise_Flight_Pulselite_for_Bird_Strike_Reduction.pdf