What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Landing light install....frustrated

Reflex

Well Known Member
After surfing through various web sites, searching the Van's store, and running a few searches on VAF, I decided I need to get a bit of advice. I'm having trouble figuring out how to install the landing lights on my -14.

Based on my searches and common sense, it would appear that the landing lights would need to be installed to W-00017 before riveting it in place. Unfortunately, I didn't figure that out until I had the left bracket installed.

At issue: How does the landing light install/connect to W-00017?

Since wing wiring is going to take place very soon, it would make sense to do the installation of the light (or at least the prep) now. The plans in section 17 do not address this. It would seem to me that Van's would have given at least some indication of what is needed at this time.

Questions:
  • Is this indeed the right time to install the landing light(s)?
  • What size light will/should or is best to fit in the wing?
  • What is needed to connect this light to the air frame?
  • Is there any way to do this AFTER W-00017 is installed?

I'm a bit frustrated by having to take valuable build time on a Saturday morning to post on something as simple as section 17. (By the way, gotta love the verbiage on 17-09; step 1 last sentence.)

Sorry for the rant. The kit and plans have been excellent to this point and the fit and finish are beyond excellent. The verbiage in the written instructions just leaves a bit to be desired in a number of places.

Many thanks to any of you who could take a look at the questions above and give me your thoughts.

f9lhnc.jpg
 
W-00017 LL wing bracket

I am not now looking at the assembly manual or my LL hardware. My understanding is that the W-00017 does install as shown, that's what I did about two years ago. The LL is installed into hardware that holds the LL and then attaches to the W-00017. Find and study ALL of the LL instructions and hardware.

In the next few days that is what I will be working on again > finish installing the LL's.
 
Do you have...

...plans section OP-52A and associated parts? I used the brackets and hardware to install Baja Designs Squadron Pro lights. I had to fab a plate to attach the lights to (plate at top of first picture) and rivet it to the mounting bracket (middle bracket in the first picture).



It doesn?t matter that you have installed the bracket in the wing.

Here is the plate riveted to the bracket:



Light installed:



You can order the entire Sunspot LED kit from Van?s and delete the lights or install the Sunspot lights.

If you want to do what I did order:

DWG OP-52A LED LANDING LIGHT 10/14 (Those are the plans.)

2 W-00016B BRACKET (Brackets)

2 BAG 638 LED LANDING LIGHT HWR (That?s the hardware to mount the brackets)

Baja Designs lights:

https://www.bajadesigns.com/products/Squadron-Pro-LED-Light-Black-Flush-Mount.asp
 
JT,

Many thanks, great information. Unfortunately, I don't have section 52 so I'll be tracking additional data down on Monday.

Looks like it's definitely time to install the landing lights now.

Fred
 
I don't think I had any trouble installing the landing lights and the bracket they attach to after installing the W-00017 in the wing. A couple of bolts hold the lights and their brackets to the W-00017. It's been a while but didn't seem to be a big deal.
 
It wasn't an issue installing the AeroLED landing lights on the quickbuild wings, was quite easy, I don't see an issue waiting until you do the fiberglass wingtip final install.
 
Yeah its a small shame the brackets for a par 36 light aren't included in the wing kit. Van's sells the lighting kit but I didn't want that light so I'm just making my own brackets based on the plans.
 
Yeah its a small shame the brackets for a par 36 light aren't included in the wing kit. Van's sells the lighting kit but I didn't want that light so I'm just making my own brackets based on the plans.

And there is the reason that it is not included...... there has to be at least a half dozen different landing light assemblies that RV-14 builders have chosen to use at this point. There is no sense in paying for a bracket in the wing kit that you wont even use ;)
Instead, it was designed so that a bracket that would match up with the mount in the wing, can easily be fabricated.
 
I just installed my FlyLed Combo lights using 4 drilled holes in the Vans supplied bracket and stacked rubber washers to provide vibration relief and angle adjustment. Love the Flyleds lights by the way.
 
And there is the reason that it is not included...... there has to be at least a half dozen different landing light assemblies that RV-14 builders have chosen to use at this point. There is no sense in paying for a bracket in the wing kit that you wont even use
Instead, it was designed so that a bracket that would match up with the mount in the wing, can easily be fabricated.
__________________

Would have been nice to know that before W-00017 was installed. It would be much easier to fabricate a bezel or bracket with W-00017 outside the wing. Would also reduce time trying to figure out or guess what is intended. It's my opinion that Step 5 should have referenced Section OP-52A or something similar. I also believe that OP-52A should have been included in one of the plans sets.

Indeed it will be easy to fabricate a bracket....now that I'm aware that Section OP-52A exists. Of course now I need to figure out what gauge is is best suited for this application, length and material for the spacers, etc. One thing I would certainly do is put an additional nut plate on W-00017 to keep the bracket from wanting to rotate up or down. This would be difficult to do after they are in place. The landing lights could be shimmed for aim.
 
Last edited:
Would have been nice to know that before W-00017 was installed. It would be much easier to fabricate a bezel or bracket with W-00017 outside the wing. Would also reduce time trying to figure out or guess what is intended. It's my opinion that Step 5 should have referenced Section OP-52A or something similar. I also believe that OP-52A should have been included in one of the plans sets.

Indeed it will be easy to fabricate a bracket....now that I'm aware that Section OP-52A exists. Of course now I need to figure out what gauge is is best suited for this application, length and material for the spacers, etc. One thing I would certainly do is put an additional nut plate on W-00017 to keep the bracket from wanting to rotate up or down. This would be difficult to do after they are in place. The landing lights could be shimmed for aim.

You don't have to fabricate anything if you don't want to.
You could just buy an optional landing light kit that comes with the brackets already made.
https://shop.vansaircraft.com/cgi-b...296-92-147&browse=lighting&product=LX_RV-14-1

It is optional for the same reason as previously mentioned.... not everyone wants the same thing. In this case, if you would be happy with this light, you can buy the kit and have all of the parts to install it, but there would have been no point in putting the bracket parts for this light, in the wing kit, for someone that intended to use a totally different light.
 
And there is the reason that it is not included...... there has to be at least a half dozen different landing light assemblies that RV-14 builders have chosen to use at this point. There is no sense in paying for a bracket in the wing kit that you wont even use ;)
Instead, it was designed so that a bracket that would match up with the mount in the wing, can easily be fabricated.

Completely agree. However the brackets Vans does sell in the lighting kit aren't available to buy through the website. Not that I don't mind fabricating parts and having to buy a metal brake (luckily the club needs one) but its an easy bracket I'd of paid $20 for instead of the hours needed to make one.
 
Completely agree. However the brackets Vans does sell in the lighting kit aren't available to buy through the website. Not that I don't mind fabricating parts and having to buy a metal brake (luckily the club needs one) but its an easy bracket I'd of paid $20 for instead of the hours needed to make one.

The web store is not fully comprehensive. Yet.

With the introduction of the new web site, efforts are being made to remedy that but it will still take some time.

In the mean time, nearly any part that Van's sells can be purchased individually via a phone phone order with any of the parts order people in the office.
 
Squadron Pro Install

Anyone who has installed Squadron Pro LEDs for their Landing/Taxi Lights and would share how they wired them, it would be greatly appreciated. Ie. wired through a GAD27, straight to a rocker switch etc.

Thanks
 
Anyone who has installed Squadron Pro LEDs for their Landing/Taxi Lights and would share how they wired them, it would be greatly appreciated. Ie. wired through a GAD27, straight to a rocker switch etc.

Thanks
I have installed the squadron Pro and they are wired thru the GAD27. I have ON-OFF-ON switch which I can select the wig-wag or on option which works great and without any issues. Both sides are the same and used for both taxi and landing light.
 
Back
Top