Wingtip Ldg lights

[rkennell]

I want to put landing-taxi lights in standard wingtips for the Companion. (Patrol wing) I have been looking at Areosun VX. Does anyone have a better suggestion or experience with As VX?

[alaskabearhawk]

FWIW, I put the AeroLED MicroSun lights in mine, mainly for aircraft recognition. Small and really powerful. I don't plan on flying at night, just want to help bee seen.

You should probably post a separate topic for the brake master cylinders or post in one of the other topics already in play since they don't have anything to do with lights.

[Utah-Jay]

I posted pics yesterday of cutting a hole in my wing for leading edge lights. I know Bob frowns upon it, but I when for it.

Like alaskabearhawk mine are for recognition, my home airport is at 5,637’ surrounded by 10,000 to 12,000’ mountains so no night flying for me. But smokey days in Idaho call for wig-wag, and flying in groups in the Utah backcountry is best to have it too

IMG_5267.jpg IMG_5252.jpg

[500AGL]

Jay, if that’s in the outer bay I’m not worried but I can’t tell from the photo.

Understand that the leading edge is part of the spar.
It’s what is known as a D Spar, where the front of the D is the leading edge of the wing. By compromising that in any way is compromising the spar.

If someone were to do this mid span, there’s a pretty good chance the wing would fold.

[Utah-Jay]

Jay, if that’s in the outer bay I’m not worried but I can’t tell from the photo.

Understand that the leading edge is part of the spar.
It’s what is known as a D Spar, where the front of the D is the leading edge of the wing. By compromising that in any way is compromising the spar.

If someone were to do this mid span, there’s a pretty good chance the wing would fold.

Peter, it is the 2nd to last bay. It is only 6” wide and the leading edge is still very stiff on both sides for the light area

[DBeaulieu]

Jay, if that’s in the outer bay I’m not worried but I can’t tell from the photo.

Understand that the leading edge is part of the spar.
It’s what is known as a D Spar, where the front of the D is the leading edge of the wing. By compromising that in any way is compromising the spar.

If someone were to do this mid span, there’s a pretty good chance the wing would fold.

That there is some good info...

[SpruceForest]

Which is why all those many, many aircraft with near identical wing construction and leading edge landing and taxi lights tend to provide a carry-through jumper spar/shear clips/etc. to close out the torsion box cell short of the LE and carry the loads back to where they need to go. That might mean adjustment to the nose ribs on either side, as well as some actual engineering work.

My buddy Carlo is working what I suspect might be the first wet wing Patrol, so an understanding of what the various bits and pieces do in the original versus modified design is just as important. Don't screw with a design unless you understand what those bits have to do for a living or review by someone with the sort of judgement and chops you'd bet your life on.

Reminds me of those handyman plumbers that seem to delight in notching the extremities of joists, and then 'making it right' with a nailed-in bit of steel plate to 'carry the load.'

[kestrel]

Peter, it is the 2nd to last bay. It is only 6” wide and the leading edge is still very stiff on both sides for the light area

A 1/32" wide weak point will cause a wing to fail. Without passing judgement on the modification, the width of the opening is irrelevant.

My 4 place has leading edge lights and IMHO, it is the best place for effective lights. However, they are in the outer most wing bay so only the wing tip is outboard of it.

I would guess that you're fine, but that is only an uneducated guess. Further out is better. Further in is worse. Some sort of wing skin doubler or something else to carry loads across the opening might be a good idea. Getting someone to do a structural analysis would be a great idea.