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12-10-2009, 07:39 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Dallas, TX (ADS)
Posts: 2,180
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It's good to see Whelen dive into this market. I feel like them coming in late to the party is a bit like Garmin with the G3X - behind the likes of Dynon, GRT, AFS, but with a good history making certified products.
They have obviously priced the system to be competitive. It will be interesting to see how they work - for example, there seem to only be 2 emitters for the nav lights. That's probably enough, but it'd be good to see data.
TODR
__________________
Doug "The Other Doug Reeves" Reeves
CTSW N621CT - SOLD but not forgotten
Home Bases LBX, BZN
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12-10-2009, 07:45 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Las Vegas
Posts: 736
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I know Whelen will have a three page spec sheet and a quality product but can anyone tell me why the price difference between "Aviation" light systems and these? R & D was my first thought...just curious. I can easily build a position light system around these bulbs assemblies. I have seen them fired up and I can tell you they are WAY brighter that my certified Whelen position lights I currently have on my RV-10
http://www.ledlight.com/1156-1157-au...ed-lights.aspx
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Rick Sked
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12-10-2009, 08:11 AM
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Delaware, OH (KDLZ)
Posts: 4,196
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DanH
Whelen introduces a new LED-based system at a low price (a miracle), factory direct (which means accepting some grief from middlemen), specifically for ex-av (that's us).....and ya'll start whining?
Somebody will buy and report soon enough. In the meantime, perhaps we should be encouraging this sort of activity from old line aviation manufacturers.
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Who's whining? We're just anxious for all the facts. I think it's great that Whelen is entering this market. It's just ironic for the vendor that historically had the most expensively priced product to come out with a product that is half the price of the competition.
The marketing brochure doesn't make any comments about TSO or FAR compliance. Since it's an experimental product, I'm not expecting TSO compliance. I would expect compliance to the FARs.
I just expect Jeff to meet the same standards that expects of others. I would be happy to see Jeff put his own product through the same tests as below.
I trust that Whelen will deliver a quality product, but most of us want to verify that it will meet expectations before purchase. If it meets expectations, then just think of all the innovation it will force their competitions to deliver just to stay competitive.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeff Argersinger
We spoke to many people this year at Oshkosh and one of the hot topics was regarding light output of the LED lighting choices that are now available. Several threads on VAF indicate the same interest as well.
Although there are many well built, attractive alternatives in the marketplace, Whelen's design objective is to provide products designed, and approved to FAA/TSO qualification standards. By doing this, it relieves the homebuilder or OEM from the time consuming task of proving FAR compliance of their lighting system to the FAA on their own, (if the aircraft is to fly at night).
The purpose of the first test was to show the differences in the anti-collision light output between the Whelen Model 90400 series FAA/TSO certified LED anti-collision light, and the Aeroleds Pulsar EXP non-certified LED anti-collision light. This is purely a light output comparison only, NOT a design critique.
http://www.whelen.com/_AVIATION/images/temp/graph-1.htm
The second test was conducted to provide light output data to answer the many LED landing light questions we also received at Oshkosh. This test compares the light output of the Whelen Model 71141 series LED landing/taxi light, 71125 series and the Aeroleds SunSpot, LED landing light. This is purely a light output comparison only, NOT a design critique.
http://www.whelen.com/_AVIATION/images/temp/graph-2.htm
The photometric tests were conducted in house at Whelen using a Hoffman Engineering goniophotometer system in a fully certified chamber, in an accredited lab. This is the same system used to certify our LED products currently in use by multiple OEM's.
Additional product testing is currently in progress.
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Last edited by Rosie : 05-13-2014 at 08:48 PM.
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12-10-2009, 08:21 AM
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Join Date: May 2005
Location: Tuttle, Oklahoma
Posts: 2,563
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DanH
Whelen introduces a new LED-based system at a low price (a miracle), factory direct (which means accepting some grief from middlemen), specifically for ex-av (that's us).....and ya'll start whining?
Somebody will buy and report soon enough. In the meantime, perhaps we should be encouraging this sort of activity from old line aviation manufacturers.
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Dan, I would like to respond to your post since I was the first to comment on this thread.
To be completely clear here, I was not 'whining' when I inquired about the light output. I simply was looking for information that would allow me to make an informed decision concerning my needs for lighting. The price is about half that of the other two competitors out there so I would like to have more information to use for comparison against these other two choices that goes beyond just the price.
As Jeff pointed out in his original post, they entered the market because the competition was either "inexpensive and not bright enough, or too expensive for experimental lighting performance". Since he had made this statement and he had provided the price information concerning the too expensive part I was asking that he provide the output part of the not bright enough part.
If my request sounded too harsh for a company such as Whelen to answer then I guess I should quit posting and find other mechanisms for finding out information I deem important to know.
Last edited by Rosie : 05-13-2014 at 08:49 PM.
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12-10-2009, 08:49 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Roy, Utah
Posts: 1,144
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Sign me up for a set. Nothing like some good 'ol capitalist competition. I was wondering when the established leader was going to offer a product similar to the AeroLED.
The half price thought is a bit uncomfortable. Either AeroLED is laughing all the way to the bank or Whelan is losing money on every set sold. Or maybe Whelen is just making fewer trips to the bank.
I'm thinking of those LED strip lights available at the Av suppliers for $40 or at Autozone for $10.
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Five Sierra Fox
RV-9A
Utah
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12-10-2009, 09:00 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Dallas, TX (ADS)
Posts: 2,180
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rick S.
I know Whelen will have a three page spec sheet and a quality product but can anyone tell me why the price difference between "Aviation" light systems and these?
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TSO/PMA certification? That can't be cheap....
TODR
__________________
Doug "The Other Doug Reeves" Reeves
CTSW N621CT - SOLD but not forgotten
Home Bases LBX, BZN
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12-10-2009, 09:26 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Newport, TN
Posts: 7,496
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I think AeroLed is forced to a higher price to cover the overhead. Whelen is a much larger long term established company right?
Not sure how those guys charging $40 to $90 for the same thing you get at Autozone for $10 sleep at night....
Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve
Sign me up for a set. Nothing like some good 'ol capitalist competition. I was wondering when the established leader was going to offer a product similar to the AeroLED.
The half price thought is a bit uncomfortable. Either AeroLED is laughing all the way to the bank or Whelan is losing money on every set sold. Or maybe Whelen is just making fewer trips to the bank.
I'm thinking of those LED strip lights available at the Av suppliers for $40 or at Autozone for $10.
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12-10-2009, 09:38 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Las Vegas
Posts: 736
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Quote:
Originally Posted by the_other_dougreeves
TSO/PMA certification? That can't be cheap....
TODR
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Granted but these are experimental right? Maybe the LSA requires a special cert? From first glance it appears Whelen saw a need in the LSA market, that combined with the experimental market, was enough to justify development of this system. I really like the design, I don't need it now, if I were building again (soon I hope)  I would consider it.
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Rick Sked
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12-10-2009, 10:00 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Canton, MI
Posts: 76
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Modern technology at a price even I can afford--thanks Whelen.
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Charlie
RV-7A
Canton, MI
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12-10-2009, 10:05 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Huntsville, AL USA
Posts: 546
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Jury is still out . . . .
. . . . on the new Whelen stuff. Compliant LED nav/position lights are pretty easy to do - but compliant LED strobes are pretty hard even with current technology LEDs. I'm frankly a bit worried about the new Whelens based on their stated power consumption - it's really low (which is a good thing if they put out enough light). I'm just concerned that it almost looks too good to be true.
But like I said in a previous post, I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brantel
I think AeroLed is forced to a higher price to cover the overhead. Whelen is a much larger long term established company right?
Not sure how those guys charging $40 to $90 for the same thing you get at Autozone for $10 sleep at night....
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__________________
Dan Langhout
2020 =VAF= Dues PAID . . . . .
RV-7 N528DP slow build
First Flight July 26th, 2014
665 hours and counting . . . .
Now based at Moontown (3M5)
Last edited by Dan Langhout : 12-10-2009 at 02:50 PM.
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