What's new
Van's Air Force

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

Report: Baja Designs Squadron Pro as landing light

Dugaru

Well Known Member
Just installed a Squadron Pro to replace my old landing light. I was absolutely shocked at the performance!! That thing is not big but it is seriously freaking bright. Highly recommended.

I used the "spot" model for the landing light in the right wing, and think I'll go with the "driving/combination" setup for my taxi light in the left wing. But the things are so bright I doubt it actually matters much.

I really like the automotive "Weather Pack" connectors that Baja Designs uses. I think some of those will find a home in the wiring of our still-under-construction Zenith 801. Along with a few Squadron Pros. :)
 
Last edited:
In my "non RV" the Squadron Pros were 1/2" too deep for me to use. Instead I purchased and installed a set of the much smaller S2 Pro as landing/taxi/recognition lights. To say the least they are AWESOME! Here is a picture so you can see just how bright they are.

Baja_Small_135.jpg


FWIW, I highly recommend them.

:cool:
 
Being a "flasher" seems like a good idea...

...especially in the busy airspace I tend to tool around in.

But this means I'm going to have to (a) find the circuit that my builder installed to flash the old incandescent lights, then (b) replace it with something that will work with LEDs (because the old one doesn't).

So, more gadget sourcing and panel spelunking is apparently in my future!

While you're at it, I would encourage Wig Waging them the entire flight day or night. Super increase in chances of being spotted by both aircraft and birds!
 
For my installation I wired in an inexpensive Bussmmann 232 electronic flasher and it works great.

f1f3.jpg

With this configuration, if both modes are selected the constant ON "landing mode" has priority and over-rides the flashing "recognition mode".

You can also install a Crazed Pilot Wig-Wag Controller which gives a few more flashing options. Either way works fine and greatly increases you being seen by others, especially while in the traffic pattern.

:cool:
 
Last edited:
...especially in the busy airspace I tend to tool around in.

But this means I'm going to have to (a) find the circuit that my builder installed to flash the old incandescent lights, then (b) replace it with something that will work with LEDs (because the old one doesn't).

So, more gadget sourcing and panel spelunking is apparently in my future!

I plan to use this to replace my Whelen boat anchor: http://www.periheliondesign.com/wigwagdmnl.htm
 
Suspect I'll end up with something similar

First I need to figure out my current setup (I'm not the builder). I've got a rocker switch for the landing light (right wing), a rocker switch for the taxi light (left wing), and a rocker switch that says "flash."

Time to start tracing wires from that flash switch.

Hi Galin-
What do those black bands over the power and ground wires adjacent to the lamps represent?
 
S2 Pros

That's pretty impressive!!! Starting to think I should save $ and install one of those for my taxi light. Did you install "spots," "driving," or "flood"?

In my "non RV" the Squadron Pros were 1/2" too deep for me to use. Instead I purchased and installed a set of the much smaller S2 Pro as landing/taxi/recognition lights. To say the least they are AWESOME! Here is a picture so you can see just how bright they are.

Baja_Small_135.jpg


FWIW, I highly recommend them.

:cool:
 
I had a different setup

My plane was originally equipped with Duckworks lights (I think) with a rectangular mounting hole in a bracket near the wingtip.

I removed the existing light and mounted one of the Squadron Pro brackets that I got from a fellow Vansairforcer to the assembly in the wing. The rectangular hole was a bit too small for the rear portion of the Squadron Pro to pass through, so I took a nibbler to it and enlarged the hole a bit.

Not sure how you'd adapt a PAR36 hole, but my guess is that you'd have plenty of room to work with so long as you had enough depth.

How extensive is fitting these Bajas into the standard PAR36 hole?
 
I just saw these posts asking for more information. I am sorry I didn't answer sooner. :eek:

Hi Galin-
What do those black bands over the power and ground wires adjacent to the lamps represent?
They just represent a MOLEX plug.

That's pretty impressive!!! Starting to think I should save $ and install one of those for my taxi light. Did you install "spots," "driving," or "flood"?
I used the SPOT version. The important thing in getting great illumination is to aim them correctly, which is not very hard to do but takes a bit of time.

FWIW; A few months ago I was on downwind at night when a Bonanza reported on a straight in to land on the same runway. The tower told him he was #2 behind the experimental on downwind with the "really, really bright lights". He said he could see my lights flashing but I never saw him.

:cool:
 
Last edited:
I plan to use this to replace my Whelen boat anchor: http://www.periheliondesign.com/wigwagdmnl.htm

I can report a couple of hundred hours of successful flight with a pair of Baja Squadron Pro lights being wig-wagged by the Perihelion wig-wag module. Works perfectly.

As a bit of a PIREP on how well these lights work, in 2018 getting into Oshkosh was rather precarious - nasty weather all around meant the FISK arrival was very quiet when we arrived on Saturday afternoon. The FAA controller on the ground commented that he had seen our landing lights wig-wagging as soon as we had turned to follow the tracks at RIPON - that's a few miles from where he was sitting on the ground. I've also had confirmation of 8+ miles visibility at altitude from another aircraft. These lights are VERY visible, and even more so when you have a pair of them being wig-wagged.
 
Back
Top