Early on I decided that I would imbed the running lights in the wing tips.
I laid up a mold off each wing tip, cut the desired section out of each tip,
fabricated aluminum filler plates to which the lights and lenses could be
mounted, and glassed them into place.
I then took the cut-off portion of the wing tip, placed it in the previously
created mold, scribed a line in the mold so that I would know what portion of
the lense (being all compound curves) would match my cutout.
I then created small metal frames into which I could clamp and heat the
plexiglas. Concurrently I bonded 'legs' on to the trimmed down mold, with one
of the 'legs' being a board which sealed the open end of the tip. I also
drilled a 1/4" hole in the mold in a location not where the usable lens would
be, and installed a barbed hose fitting.
I heated the plexi in the oven at 340 degrees f (it starts smoking at this temp)
placed it over the top of the mold and using the family vacuume cleaner, drew a
vacuume on the mold - creating my wing tip lenses.
Because the lense is clear, I could see the scribed line in mold, and could mark
the lense to rough trim to size. This process took 3 'pulls' on the first lens,
and 2 on the second to get good parts.
Moral of the story. Lenses alone do not make all the required components.
Cutting the lens space out of the wing tip from a finished purchased lens, where
obtaining measurements due to its compound nature will be an interesting trial
and fit task. Also required are the brackets internal to the leading edge to
which the lights can be mounted, wich will likely include some protuberances to
which the lens may be attached. It is also impossible with this arrangement to
set up a white aft running light in the same location. A separate light must be
installed either on the rudder or both wing tips.
I think my lights/lenses are cool, but I'll still need the aft light and the
strobes now require mounting on the fuselage.
My recommendation, go with the combination wing tip fore/aft/strobe lights.
You'll add back the drag from recessed running lights when you place your
strobes somewhere else anyway. Technically the fuselage strobe lenses are much
larger, as they are required to send the light pattern in 360 degrees at the
specified lumens. The wingtip strobes can use smaller lenses, because they only
focus the light fore aft 180 degrees and up down 30 degrees. (This is from the
Whelen factory rep at Sun-N-Fun this past April) I say technically, because many
people have 'gotten away with' using wing tip lenses on the fuselage, but . . .
Cleve Lee
A198 Mono XS N396ST
Detroit, MI
> > Hi All,
> >
> > I contacted LP Aero in Florida earlier this week asking if they would be
interested in manufacturing acrylic lenses to go on the wing tips.
> >
> > George indicated he would be interested in setting up a mould and making
these if their was enough demand. I do not know what the cost would be, however
I'd like to canvass the forum to see how much interest their would be. Could
you send me and indication of interest, no commitment required at this stage.
> >
> > Paul (builder 363)
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