LED Landing Light Lifespan

[Groundpounder]

I just installed a Whelen PAR-46 in our flight club airplane, and the advertised life is 5000 hours. Does anyone know if they're actually making that? I know LED's themselves will last a VERY long time, but there are other bits and pieces that could kill it.

One thing I know for sure is that it will last longer than the old GE halogen light!

 

[Ted]

You probably don't have any airplanes that have flown 5,000 hours with them.

Keeping your airframe vibrations low is going to be your best bet to long life.

 

[Henning]

My experience with LEDs (on boats which is a much tougher environment than planes) tells me that unless you experience infant mortality in the first few hours, you aren't going to have to think about that bulb for a very long time. If that had been installed on my 310 when new, it would still have 2000hrs left to go.

 

[flyingron]

My plane has ~5000 hours on it. But it took 60years to get that far. I can't tell you how many incandescent landing light it's gone through over that time.

 

[Groundpounder]

I guess that answers my question! Hopefully this is the last time we have to swap out landing lights for a very long time.