Interior Night Lighting

[Jeremy Zawodny]

We have a 2005 CTSW with the night lighting kit and I decided I should finally get current on night landings. Last night was the first time I spent any time in the airplane in the dark with the intent of flying. Much to my surprise, I realized the interior lighting was really insufficient for the task.

 

We have all analog instruments and only the powered gyro instruments are lit when I turn the lighting knob on the panel. That means I get see the heading indicator and artificial horizon just fine, but NOT the altimeter or airspeed (the two I care most about). I can flip on the map light(?) switch next to my shoulder, but that's a white light (not read) and would ruin my night vision.

 

What gives? Is this really the normal setup, or is our missing some lighting? I can't imagine night flying like this.

 

At least all the exterior lighting is in great shape.

[coppercity]

Hi Jeremy,

 

Most CT's with analog gauges should have the UMA light rings installed, if not that is the way to light up your gauges with low power draw.

[Jeremy Zawodny]

Hi Jeremy,

 

Most CT's with analog gauges should have the UMA light rings installed, if not that is the way to light up your gauges with low power draw.

 

I called Flight Design USA and the mechanic said the same. I guess we've got some work to do on our end... Thanks for the confirmation.

[Roger Lee]

Hi Jeremy,

 

Eric is right that all the gauges should be lit up and that means no night flight until they are fixed.

[CT4ME]

If you have the night lighting package, then you likely suffer from the EL wire problem that plagued many CTs from that era. None of my 2006 gauges ever worked right, and the plane only had testing and delivery hours on it when I bought it. The EL wire used in the lighting rings is sensitive to pinching or folding. the electrical connections need precision soldering, too. If you go through it, end-to-end, you can probably find the fault. I think the layout is serial, like old Xmas bulbs, so a problem anywhere in the loop causes the whole loop to fail.

or... Maybe you could use those little suction cup LED instrument lights that Sportys or Spruce sells. $10 solves the problem?

http://sportys.com/pilotshop/product/11872

Some reviews say they are almost too bright... I'd use a red permanent marker to change the color and dim them a bit.

Tim

[Jeremy Zawodny]

Hi Jeremy,

 

Eric is right that all the gauges should be lit up and that means no night flight until they are fixed.

 

Yeah, I wouldn't even attempt it in the current configuration.

 

Maybe I'll have you help out with the fix when we do that firewall blanked and engine mounts? :-)

 

Jeremy

[Jeremy Zawodny]

Yeah, I wouldn't even attempt it in the current configuration.

 

Maybe I'll have you help out with the fix when we do that firewall blanked and engine mounts? :-)

 

Jeremy

 

I went back over to the hangar at lunch time and squinted at the panel some more. It turns out that we DO have the "orange tape" that the Flight Design USA mechanic mentioned. I never noticed it before (you have to look pretty closely to see it). So apparently it's bad or has become electrically disconnected.

 

I feel a panel removal is in my future...

 

Jeremy