Cockpit Lighting

[TheLorax]

While flying an R-22 during a night cross country flight, in the event of an electrical fire in flight, you are told to turn off the Master and the Alternator. Doing this causes ALL of the instrument panel lights go out and the map light becomes inop as well.

 

I, and most likely you, need a headset mic-light.

 

On Sporty's and other online pilot shops they advertise the "FLITELite Dual Intensity Pilot's Light" here: http://www.sportys.com/acb/showdetl.cfm?DI...34&CATID=94

 

My only concern with that is the white light. There's also a light advertised elsewhere that has green LEDs instead of white. BUT some of the descriptions of the ones with green LEDs say that they're only compatible with NVGs. Personally, I'd rather have the green light so it wont wash out my rhodopsin for my eye's night vision.

 

Anyone use either of these? Will the dual-intensity white light really interfere with my night vision?

 

Thanks, Fly Safe.

[delorean]

Don't mess around with that knock off from Sporty's.

 

Get the original military "Mike Lite" from the maker: http://www.seitzinc.com/shop/page1.html

 

Only problem is if you have a headset its not compatible with. Lots of different color combos and mounting options though.

[AngelFire_91]

Get the original military "Mike Lite" from the maker: http://www.seitzinc.com/shop/page1.html

 

I have the red one of these and it's an absolute dream. I have one on my FW and rotor headsets. Wouldn't leave home without it. I learned about them from my Coast Guard Helo friend cause it's what they use, and he told me that he would never fly at night without one, which I believe now.

[lelebebbel]

i can see how it would be nice to have that mikelight permanently on your headset, so you'd always have it when needed.

If you want to save money though, you could just get a regular headlamp with red and white LEDs for 15 bucks at the outdoor store, and keep that on during nightflights. Very handy for night preflight inspections, too.

Edited March 28, 2008 by lelebebbel

[Pogue]

Don't mess around with that knock off from Sporty's.

 

Get the original military "Mike Lite" from the maker: http://www.seitzinc.com/shop/page1.html

 

Only problem is if you have a headset its not compatible with. Lots of different color combos and mounting options though.

I've got the NVG green and they work great. The green doesn't cause the NVG's to flare, but you can see it just fine and it doesn't hurt your night vision. Also, there's a kit to adapt them to different types of booms.

[Wally]

While flying an R-22 during a night cross country flight, in the event of an electrical fire in flight, you are told to turn off the Master and the Alternator. Doing this causes ALL of the instrument panel lights go out and the map light becomes inop as well.

 

I, and most likely you, need a headset mic-light.

 

On Sporty's and other online pilot shops they advertise the "FLITELite Dual Intensity Pilot's Light" here: http://www.sportys.com/acb/showdetl.cfm?DI...34&CATID=94

 

My only concern with that is the white light. There's also a light advertised elsewhere that has green LEDs instead of white. BUT some of the descriptions of the ones with green LEDs say that they're only compatible with NVGs. Personally, I'd rather have the green light so it wont wash out my rhodopsin for my eye's night vision.

 

Anyone use either of these? Will the dual-intensity white light really interfere with my night vision?

 

Thanks, Fly Safe.

 

I've used both the green & red LED mic lights (Seitz), each also equipped with the high intensity white bulbs. The white (quartz halogen) is too bright for cockpit use, period. Even in very brief use, it dazzles, I can't see outside the illuminated field. I tried it once and have reverted to a separate backup for the rare occasion when the mic light is insufficient. The green LED works far better than the red, more visible detail and illuminates without loss of other fields.

Edited March 29, 2008 by Wally

[rick1128]

The big problem with red lights is that they washout any red ink on charts, checklists, etc. I have used blue shaded lights for several years with good success. I have found mini maglite knockoffs for a few dollars on Ebay.

[nbit]

I got this one in the NVG green. The mount is made to fit the round boom mics, like the Bose, since the military is procuring them now instead of the David Clark.

The one I have has green floods, and a white spot LED. The brightness of each is adjustable so it is not too bright. It is very easy to adjust the brightness, where the light points to in your field of vision, and turning on and off. The white spot covers an area large enough for one 3-1/2" instrument hole plus about 1/2"-1" around the edges. Just point your head where you're looking...

I highly recommend it...

 

Good luck...

[PhotoFlyer]

On Sporty's and other online pilot shops they advertise the "FLITELite Dual Intensity Pilot's Light" here: http://www.sportys.com/acb/showdetl.cfm?DI...34&CATID=94

 

My only concern with that is the white light. There's also a light advertised elsewhere that has green LEDs instead of white. BUT some of the descriptions of the ones with green LEDs say that they're only compatible with NVGs. Personally, I'd rather have the green light so it wont wash out my rhodopsin for my eye's night vision.

 

I have the FliteLite. It DOES NOT destroy night vision on either intensity. In fact, the dimmer setting can't even be seen over dim cockpit lights, but it would be more than enough light in the event of a complete electrical failure or fire.

 

Don't mess around with that knock off from Sporty's.

 

Get the original military "Mike Lite" from the maker: http://www.seitzinc.com/shop/page1.html

 

Only problem is if you have a headset its not compatible with. Lots of different color combos and mounting options though.

 

The FliteLite isn't made by sporty's, or specifically for them, and just because it isn't made by Seitz doesn't make it inferior.

 

Also, FliteLite's customer service is top notch. I just had to replace the mic on my headset, and the new one didn't fit the adaptor for the old mic. I called, they asked for a photo of the new mic, and sent a new adaptor FREE (didn't even pay for the shipping) the same day.

Edited March 29, 2008 by PhotoFlyer

[FLHooker]

I prefer a finger light... Just me.

 

 

  CHAD

[TheLorax]

so when it says "Green NVG" light, will it be too dim or bright or not useful to me since i don't use NVGs? I use the Bose X. Will the Seitz fit the Bose? I don't know which Seitz (color) I should get if that's the case (there's not very descriptive pictures of the whole Seitz unit on their website).

I also would like to be able to mount the power source to the side of the headset it that's possible.

 

Thanks all, that was very quick

 

 

Also, NBit: those 3 double A batteries on the S-Lite look pretty heavy. Do you mount your battery pack to your Bose?

Edited March 29, 2008 by TheLorax

[nbit]

The NVG green light makes things easily visible, it's just not at a wavelength to be a problem with NVGs.

[Gomer Pylot]

I've gone through many variations over the years, and what I'm using now is a headlight. I have one that has both red and white lights. I've used green lights for a long time, but I've finally decided that they just aren't worth the trouble. They will affect your night vision as much as white, and your night vision is pretty much destroyed by the cockpit lights and the landing/searchlights anyway. White works better for me. I have the red for those times when I do want to preserve what night vision I have, but it's worthless for reading charts and other paperwork. The headlight works for preflight and everything else. I don't want to wear a headset for preflights, and the headset I use won't support a mike light anyway.

 

In the end, it's whatever works for you. There is no one true method for this.

[FUSE]

I prefer a finger light... Just me.

 

 

CHAD

 

x2 on that. I have both and prefer the finger light, nvg green.

[TheLorax]

I think I'll try out the finger light. It's cheap so it'll be worth a shot.

 

One question though... cyclic hand or collective hand?

[FUSE]

I think I'll try out the finger light. It's cheap so it'll be worth a shot.

 

One question though... cyclic hand or collective hand?

 

It's gotta be on the hand that you usually do things with, such as get your charts, work the radio ect... you need to be able to point at what your looking at.

[FredR]

I agree with Gomer on this one. I've used green and white led lights both. When flying with googles you are looking under the googles when using your lip light and I've found that white led works the best. The newer googles don't bloom out like they used too. In fact, during NVG training we are trained to use the night sun and standard search / landing lights. Goes against everything I learned in the military....oh well. Heck, the instrument lights in the 206 are white anyway. Use whatever works the best for you.

[IceWater]

I think I'll try out the finger light. It's cheap so it'll be worth a shot.

 

One question though... cyclic hand or collective hand?

 

 

For me, top of thumb on the Collective hand. It's easier for me to turn it on this way with my index finger and I find it easier to point the light this way.

 

It's going to take some trial and error.

 

I've also use the NVG green compliant Mike light. Great accessory to have!

 

Just because it says "NVG compliant" doesn't mean that it's dimmer, it just means that the wavelenth the light is emitting will not interfere with the NVG. If you used a flashlight that's not NVG compliant, it will reflect light making a large white spot on the windsheild blocking your view outside.

[iflytandemrotor]

As a military pilot, cockpit lighting is important.

 

First, use a green, blue-green, or NVG Green colored light. (What makes it NVG compatable is the brightness and color wave length of light).

 

There are several good options:

 

Photon Freedom MicroLight. Get the one with the little aligator clip. It they show a picture of it clipped to a ball cap, but it easily clips onto a kneeboard. It comes with a little string too. Tie that to the clip and your kneeboard so if you knock it off, you don't lose it in your flight controls.

 

Seitz industries makes a great little product. Mic Lights and finger lights are great. Durable products but a bit pricey. There are a couple of other companies that make cheaper finger lights, but remember, you get what you pay for.

 

There is a flashlight called the PALight. This runs on a 9 volt and the base model is always on a very, very dim setting (to make it easy to find in the dark. The battery lasts for 2 years on that setting.) Press the button and you have different brightness levels. This is a very durable product, and there are other models that you can turn off and flash SOS, etc. It can easily be hung around your neck with a lanyard and used as needed and comes in several different color LEDs. I keep these around the house for storms and my kids all have one in their rooms. It's a great little night light for them.

 

If you have to Preflight at night, there are excellent headlamps made by Princeton Tec. It makes for great, hand free preflighting. Stay away from the 3 LED or less headlamps. They aren't very bright.

 

The Gerber Recon is another great little light. You can hang it from a lanyard and runs on 1 AA battery. It has one LED and on the head you rotate a filter that is white, blue, green or red.

This one is my favorite little light. Perfect for the cockpit.

 

Stay away from Red and Blue LEDs. They wash out the same color on a map.

 

I used to sell all these products so I know what's good and what's bad, but what ever works for you in the cockpit is best.

[delorean]

Pelican makes some really good products too. I use a Pelican L1 on a lanyard for startup and as a back-up. Then I have the Seitz 3-green on my microphone for the maps and paperwork.

 

I used to have a few fingerlights, but the problem is you can't point or aim them very well without taking your hands off the controls. Plus the little switches were always turning on in my pocket and draining the batteries.

[TheLorax]

i got the photon freedom microlight. it's super cool and super cheap. check it out!

[C17LM]

As a C17 Loadmaster in the AF. I like to use this product:

 

Pelican L1

 

It comes with a couple of pieces of velcro. I attached one to my headset and one to my helmet so I can move the swivel bracket from one to the other as needed. It also comes with different color filters so you can use what works best for you.

 

Another product that I like to keep cliped to one of my flightsuit pockets is this Gerber Light. Once again multiple filters and handy metal clip.

 

And of course I have the standard military issue Seitz light with the 3 anvis green LED's on my helmet for use with NVG's.

[Witch]

It sounds stupid, but I went to Radio Shack and bought a red LED and a battery pack for a few dollars. Looks like crap, but it works.

 

Later

[TheLorax]

sounds stupid indeed, but it must get the job done. did you mount it to your witchset?

[Witch]

sounds stupid indeed, but it must get the job done. did you mount it to your witchset?

Yup