Current and Former C414/C421 Drivers

[seethru]

Howdy,

I'm looking to find a modification to our C414, but I'm having difficulty finding what I'm looking for.

As 414/421 pilots know, the landing lights extend (drop) from beneath the wings on both ends. Sooner or later the motor/gears that make this work will give out. This is especially true if you continually deploy the landing lights above 160 KIAS.

I don't like this. The motors are expensive and there are times when I would really like to throw some lights on while in cruise or descending (i.e. collision avoidance at night and low vis).

I thought I had seen a lighting system, after market, that could be added to either the front of the nacelle or leading edges of the wing. It had no moving parts, so no motor to burn out.

Anybody seen anything like this? I've already been searching known STCs and the like, but without success.

Thanks for your help.

Greg

 

[AVI8V1]

just leave them down & locked.

 

[TDTURBO]

Howdy,

I'm looking to find a modification to our C414, but I'm having difficulty finding what I'm looking for.

As 414/421 pilots know, the landing lights extend (drop) from beneath the wings on both ends. Sooner or later the motor/gears that make this work will give out. This is especially true if you continually deploy the landing lights above 160 KIAS.

I don't like this. The motors are expensive and there are times when I would really like to throw some lights on while in cruise or descending (i.e. collision avoidance at night and low vis).

I thought I had seen a lighting system, after market, that could be added to either the front of the nacelle or leading edges of the wing. It had no moving parts, so no motor to burn out.

Anybody seen anything like this? I've already been searching known STCs and the like, but without success.

Thanks for your help.

Greg

If you own a 414, you would be crazy not to belong to the CPA http://www.cessna.org/. They would have answers to every conceivable question that would come up with ownership of any piston Cessna.

 

[seethru]

just leave them down & locked.

Well, besides losing a knot or two of airspeed, it just wouldn't look cool. Image is everything!

 

[414Flyer]

There already are some aftermarket lights you can install in the nacelles.

They arent meant to be landing lights, more of recognition lights. But at least you can switch them on when you are descending fast, and not have to worry about speeds, and save the landing lights for when you are slower and on final.

 

[340drvr]

One of "our" 340's had the nacelle lights, definitely handy. If I can find info, I'll let you know, meanwhile, you might broaden your search to include 340's. If I recall correctly, the bottom half of the front nacelle piece was an entirely new piece, with a molded "shoulder" for the light, kind of like the air intake on a new Seneca. The bulbs were a bitck to change, had to drop the cowl piece.