Teledyne Reynolds announced it has received FAA-PMA approval for the Alphabeam II LED Aviation Lights for the commercial airline industry. These lights deploy state of the art Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology and are a direct replacement for incandescent lamps, requiring no modification to the airplane. This is a major step in improving exterior lighting on aircraft without the added expense of modifying a fleet to accommodate new LED technology. The Alphabeam II is a robust solution to the harsh environment of exterior aircraft lighting. Lighting maintenance for airlines will see savings in maintenance time, cost, and spare parts in inventory. The Alphabeam II, with a projected life over 30,000 flight hours will work for many years, as opposed to just months or even weeks with incandescent bulbs, some with only 25 hours of projected life.
Reliability is paramount. Teledyne has undergone rigorous environmental testing on the Alphabeam II. “The product met all applicable environmental requirements of the RTCA DO-160G for Part 25 Commercial and Transport aircraft with ample margin,” said George Panagotacos, director of Research & Development at Teledyne Reynolds.
The Alphabeam II has an extremely uniform beam pattern with more lumens in the beam compared with incandescent technology. With Teledyne’s sophisticated multi-stage optical system, raw lumens from the LEDs are efficiently captured and redirected in the perfect beam pattern with very few lumens lost. Several test pilots reported excellent performance, with improved visual distances noted during an FAA conducted ground taxi test. Teledyne is one of few companies with unparalleled expertise in optics for LEDs. The company combines highly efficient optics with sophisticated circuit designs from its Electrical and Aerospace Engineers that really understand reliability.
“The difference between Teledyne and the countless other companies making LED lighting products is Teledyne designs and builds products for markets where failure is not an option. The Alphabeam II, with its durable design and high performance revolutionizes exterior aircraft lighting as we know it today,” said Albert Andry, vice president and general manager of Teledyne Reynolds Group.
Teledyne’s patented smart lighting technology integrates complex electronic circuitry that meets Power Factor Correction requirements of the aircraft, includes an Intelligent Anti-Icing element to prevent ice forming on the lens in freezing temperatures (a naturally occurring function with incandescent bulbs). Ice build-up on the lens can skew beam patterns and significantly reduce light output. The Alphabeam II also protects itself from excessive heat, and runs a built-in diagnostic test verifying the light is fully functional within three seconds of power on.