The Cessna 120-140 Association Forum

My 140 has the Grimes retracting landing light. It needs a new bulb. I know there is a LED bulb available for replacement. I would like to lose some weight by replacing the grimes unit. There was a article in the Newsletter that had many weight saving ideas done by a member in Australia. He used a fixture that looked like a eyebrow that went directly into the mounting hole under the wing. Is this available and STC 'd in the U.S.? I really need to lose some weight. The help with Information is appreciated.

8015 wrote: ↑Mon Sep 10, 2018 9:10 am My 140 has the Grimes retracting landing light. It needs a new bulb. I know there is a LED bulb available for replacement. I would like to lose some weight by replacing the grimes unit. There was a article in the Newsletter that had many weight saving ideas done by a member in Australia. He used a fixture that looked like a eyebrow that went directly into the mounting hole under the wing. Is this available and STC 'd in the U.S.? I really need to lose some weight. The help with Information is appreciated.

I missed the referenced "eyebrow" replacement but must admit it is interesting, especially if proper function and weight savings are both there. That said, I also haven't seen or heard of a related STC -- maybe someone who's familiar with it will wade in. The ole retractable LL is super cool, for sure, but it is a bit weighty and does take a lot of amperage to operate and light UNLESS the incandescent bulb is replaced with a LED type...but, even then, any weight savings would be minimal. Keep us posted if you "find" the eyebrow LL. Mac

http://www.aveoengineering.com/downloads/VegaTL-TLR.pdf

This is the unit he used, but they do things a little differently down under as far as certification or owner maintenance. There is no STC that I know of here in the states. He has since sold the plane and doesn't have any other details on the lights. I could not find any type of lumen/candela rating on the TL model he used so I could not compare it to the standard 250watt GE4522 bulb. I would really like to lose the weight of the Grimes also.

Thanks, David -- that's definitely a neat install & would be relatively easy/straightforward. Maybe there'll be some progress toward making it a "legal" alternative for those who'd like to "upgrade" and lose the weight of the big Grimes assembly. Most of us have seen some lighting related "field approvals" that were surprising...and, of course, we're aware of some being denied that seemed all too logical for acceptance. Innovations like this one are really rolling out with ever increasing speed these days -- it would sure be "nice" to have them available to "us certifieds", but probably not something we should anticipate from the Friendly Aviation Administration any time "soon"(?). Mac

Yes I remember reading the article in the Newsletter and was curious also about that landing light. Still I don't understand how the light can project forward??? Anyone has an idea?
Because the link provided by David doesn't see to be the same model as the one we see in the picture. Reading the manual, very interesting technology.

Thanks David. That is the basic same type of light. One thing for sure if it was possible to use that type as a replacement we are talking some definite weight savings. My Grimes unit is in working order so the LED bulb is my option.