If you were to list all the nuisance parts on the average business jet, position lights would probably be at the top. They always need changing when the CEO is in a rush to leave. If you’ve ever felt that pain, then you’ll be happy that Honeywell has finally done something about it.

 

“We took a different approach that said maybe we can put a smarter light out there that will last the duration of the ownership of the aircraft,” explained Tom Eller, product line director, Honeywell Lighting Systems. “We took the position that our product is not cheap and it’s not a nuisance. It provides you a service at a lower cost of ownership than any current light.”

 

The smarter light that Eller referred to is Honeywell’s new Astreon solid-state light-emitting diode (LED) position lights. “This is vastly different from current incandescent technology,” added Scott Mangun, Honeywell’s lighting products development manager. “LEDs are semiconductor, solid-state devices that happen to emit visible radiation. There are no coiled filaments to fail so you have a more robust, more reliable, and more dependable product.”

 

How much more reliable and dependable? Honeywell is providing a full 3,000-hour–that’s right 3,000 hours–or five-year warranty on the Astreon lights. But theoretically 3,000 hours is just the beginning. “We believe the actual operational life could go upwards of 20,000 hours,” he added. “It’s a new technology and there’s still a lot to be learned about it.”

 

One thing they do know is that the Astreon lights use a fraction of the power needed by their incandescent cousins: Astreon uses just nine watts while the old lights use 40 watts. And speaking of power, Honeywell has also addressed the problem of voltage fluctuations that wreck incandescent lights. “Our customers clearly communicated with us and with engineers on our target platforms that there are these fluctuations,” Eller said. “So we designed the system to operate within a range of supplied voltages.”

 

Honeywell is also working to ensure that the transition from your current lights to the Astreon product is as simple as possible. In fact, the goal is to make it an exact form, fit, and function replacement on the majority of popular business aircraft. Initial target models for retrofit include the Gulfstream IV and V, the Citation X, and Learjet models 31 and 60. Honeywell also said Gulfstream is currently flying the Astreon lights on a new G550.

 

Current catalog price for the Astreon wing-tip lights is just under $700 per light. This is a bit more than a standard incandescent light, but with the savings from continual replacement and maintenance, Honeywell predicts the average operator will get payback in less than a year.

 

Eller and Mangum said that the current red/green wingtip lights are just the beginning for Astreon. They have a white taillight in the works and they see no reason why, in the near future, all white and red strobes will also be part of the Astreon solid-state lighting family. Honeywell Lighting, phone: 937-484-2000, web: www.honeywell-lighting.com

 

 

New Thread Design Locks Fasteners Tightly

 

Spiralock has introduced a breakthrough new thread-form design that eliminates the fastener loosening and stripping problems caused by vibration, shock, and temperature extremes. The secret to Spiralock’s thread-form is a unique 30-degree wedge ramp cut at the root of the female thread. Under clamp load, the crests of the threads on any standard bolt are drawn tightly against the wedge ramp. This causes thread contact forces to be applied at approximately 60 degrees from the bolt axis.

 

The new design not only eliminates the transverse motion that causes loosening under vibration, it also distributes the loads of the threaded joint throughout the engaged threads. It also eliminates intense concentration at the first engaged thread, thereby reducing bolt failures and improving product performance.

 

The superior holding power of Spiralock fasteners can also greatly reduce maintenance costs, since it eliminates the need for add-on locking washers, thread adhesives, crimping, safety wire, or inserts. Spiralock, phone: 800-521-2688, web: www.spiralock.com