Flashlight

Captain

Captain

Final Approach
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Display name:
First Officer
Turns out the FAA has dropped the Double D Cell requirement for flashlights. So now I'm in the market for a new flashlight. I want compact and high power. I sorta want to go Tim Allen on this...."More Power! Ah ah ah!!"

Recommendations?
 
Captain said:
Turns out the FAA has dropped the Double D Cell requirement for flashlights. So now I'm in the market for a new flashlight. I want compact and high power. I sorta want to go Tim Allen on this...."More Power! Ah ah ah!!"

Recommendations?
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How much do you want to spend? What's your mission? Most flashlights you can find at Wal-Mart will work. Find something that takes the same batteries as your other devices use.
 
Now all they need to do is remove the old pyrotechnic signaling devices (flare guns) from life rafts and put laser pointers in them.
 
bnt83 said:
Now all they need to do is remove the old pyrotechnic signaling devices (flare guns) from life rafts and put laser pointers in them.
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Having participated in an attempt to signal an airplane by laser pointer, you really don't want to go there. It doesn't work.

A signal mirror works a LOT better. Even at 5000 feet.

The main problem with flare guns is that they really don't last long enough. They are plenty visible for 20-30 seconds, but after that, they are done. They also expire and people forget about them.
 
Captain said:
Turns out the FAA has dropped the Double D Cell requirement for flashlights. So now I'm in the market for a new flashlight. I want compact and high power. I sorta want to go Tim Allen on this...."More Power! Ah ah ah!!"

Recommendations?
Click to expand...

Pretty much over the last several years the requirement has been Double D or equivalent.

I use a light that uses two AA batteries and LED light, switchable between white, red and blue. It was an impulse buy at some hardware store somewhere, marked as 10 for 10 bucks.
 
Captain said:
Turns out the FAA has dropped the Double D Cell requirement for flashlights. So now I'm in the market for a new flashlight. I want compact and high power. I sorta want to go Tim Allen on this...."More Power! Ah ah ah!!"

Recommendations?
Click to expand...

Get a surefire with a real red filter.
 
Yes, get a good one that will do the job well for a long time. This is no place to find the cheapest thing you can find.

I second the SureFire.
 
Red really doesn't do anything other than making colored charts hard to read. If you want to preserve your night vision you just want the option to use minimal intensity. Your "in the night cockpit" light is likely therefore to be different than your "emergency situation" light.
 
Captain said:
... I want compact and high power. ...
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Are you sure? High power is nice when the landing light is out and you're taxiing on unlighted taxiways, but it will blind you if you use it in the cockpit.

I have an old flashlight that has both red and white, both with dials that begin at very dim and finish at bright. Not enough to taxi, but it is great in the cockpit. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...d_t=201&pf_rd_p=1944687622&pf_rd_i=B006AL38G6 It does the job well but the construction is quite amateurish and it needs a 9v. battery. I'd suggest something like it, though, in addition to your desire for alien-blasting power.
 
Go to wall mart,buy a four pack of led flashlights that use double As light most other aviation products. The key is having spare batteries available.
 
airdale said:
Are you sure? High power is nice when the landing light is out and you're taxiing on unlighted taxiways, but it will blind you if you use it in the cockpit.

I have an old flashlight that has both red and white, both with dials that begin at very dim and finish at bright. Not enough to taxi, but it is great in the cockpit. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...d_t=201&pf_rd_p=1944687622&pf_rd_i=B006AL38G6 It does the job well but the construction is quite amateurish and it needs a 9v. battery. I'd suggest something like it, though, in addition to your desire for alien-blasting power.
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The plane I fly has plenty of exterior lights and tons of redundancy. What I need is a nice powerful light for the preflights on a dim ramp....at least for the part away from the jet bridge. :)
 
I always prefer to fly with double D's in the plane. :wink2:
 
Captain said:
The plane I fly has plenty of exterior lights and tons of redundancy. What I need is a nice powerful light for the preflights on a dim ramp....at least for the part away from the jet bridge. :)
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Got it. You're not solving the same problems that most of us GA pilots are solving.

galls.com and thefirestore.com almost certainly have what you want, though neither is likely to be the cheapest place to buy.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/forum.php used to be where the lunatic fringe hung out, though I have not spent any time there in years. The reviews there may be of value to you.

As mentioned, batteries can be an issue. The high power lights tend to use CR123s and specialty rechargeables. Not something you can buy at your average Walgreens or Seven Eleven.
 
I keep two. An incredibly bright LED one that uses two double D's (behind the passenger seat and within reach) and then a secondary one that is not as bright in the front pocket to my left. If the lights go out at night I don't want a super bright one (hence the smaller one). If I really need to see something (during preflight or later on the ground or maybe while flying) I have the super bright one for that. Also within reach while flying.
 
MAKG1 said:
Having participated in an attempt to signal an airplane by laser pointer, you really don't want to go there. It doesn't work.

A signal mirror works a LOT better. Even at 5000 feet.

The main problem with flare guns is that they really don't last long enough. They are plenty visible for 20-30 seconds, but after that, they are done. They also expire and people forget about them.
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What you need is a laser that's designed for rescue. It's safe for eyes after 30 feet or so.

http://www.greatlandlaser.com
 
Captain said:
The plane I fly has plenty of exterior lights and tons of redundancy. What I need is a nice powerful light for the preflights on a dim ramp....at least for the part away from the jet bridge. :)
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I saw a 500,000 candlepower rechargeable LED at Sams recently, not much larger than the old lantern batteries. Easily handheld, not too large to stash in your roomy cockpit, and the copilot can use it as a backup landing light if necessary. Beats taxiing in while holding your AA-powered LED flashlight out the storm window (been there, done that, you don't want to).
 
........
 
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Anymouse said:
What you need is a laser that's designed for rescue. It's safe for eyes after 30 feet or so.

http://www.greatlandlaser.com
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Yes, we used the red one. It was not visible from 1000 AGL in daylight, even after I knew where it was. By comparison, a $3 signal mirror worked fine from almost 5000, a few weeks later.

The mirror was VERY hard to ignore. I spotted it easily with peripheral vision. The laser, not so good.

Maybe the laser works better at night, but given that it claims daytime effectiveness, I really wouldn't bet my life on that.
 
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MAKG1 said:
Yes, we used the red one. It was not visible from 1000 AGL in daylight, even after I knew where it was. By comparison, a $3 signal mirror worked fine from almost 5000, a few weeks later.

The mirror was VERY hard to ignore. I spotted it easily with peripheral vision. The laser, not so good.

Maybe the laser works better at night, but given that it claims daytime effectiveness, I really wouldn't bet my life on that.
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Hmm... I've used to to show folks my location from a mile away in the daylight. Never used it in a rescue situation, of course.
 
Badger said:
I always prefer to fly with double D's in the plane. :wink2:
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I don't. They'd upset the CG too much. I prefer six pairs of AAs, much more fun!! :D

In all seriousness, though, I am afraid I've been a bad boy because I carry 4 LED flashlights with AAs so I have been breaking the double-D regs for a while now. :) I vaguely recall that reg but am too lazy to look it up. Does anybody care to google it for my lazy a**? :rolleyes2:
 
BigBadLou said:
I don't. They'd upset the CG too much. I prefer six pairs of AAs, much more fun!! :D

In all seriousness, though, I am afraid I've been a bad boy because I carry 4 LED flashlights with AAs so I have been breaking the double-D regs for a while now. :) I vaguely recall that reg but am too lazy to look it up. Does anybody care to google it for my lazy a**? :rolleyes2:
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Does not apply to part 91 unless you're in subpart F territory which you would know if you were.
 
Walmart has 10 of these for $9, complete with batteries, at christmas every year. I have at least 50 of them EVERYWHERE.

CIMG5843_zpsmz1m8qjp.jpg
 
jesse said:
Does not apply to part 91 unless you're in subpart F territory which you would know if you were.
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Thank you. Like I said, I just remembered that I did not remember what reg it was. I am off the hook, whew. :)

kgruber said:
Walmart has 10 of these for $9, complete with batteries, at christmas every year. I have at least 50 of them EVERYWHERE
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HFT has them for free with any purchase. (actually the coupon says "with ANY purchase" - no idea what the difference is :D ).
And I have 4 in the plane and a few more around the house, garage, cars, etc.
 
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