Strap-on headlamps and their ilk

[Casey Wilson]

I'd like to revisit a topic bandied about on this newsgroup many moons ago.
At the time I wasn't in the market for one of those LED gizmos that straps
on the head -- now I am.
I vaguely recall there being some adverse criticism about the inability
to control what was perceived as "too bright." Is that still the case? Or
have the devices improved since then?
If you use one, do you strap it on before takeoff? Or wait until it is
needed to put it on? Do you put in on under or over your headset? In either
case, how long can you tolerate it?
I did some unsuccessful Googling to see if I could find one that will
clip onto the side or top of the headset. Anybody seen something like that?
(I did find the one that will clip onto the bill of a cap, but it didn't
seem like it would work on the headset.)

--
Regards,

Casey Wilson
Freelance Writer
and Photographer

[Peter R.]

On 1/25/2007 1:05:22 PM, "Casey Wilson" wrote:

> I vaguely recall there being some adverse criticism about the inability
> to control what was perceived as "too bright." Is that still the case? Or
> have the devices improved since then?

I have an Eveready LED headlight that includes both a red and a white light
selection. I think I paid $12 for the unit. The red light is perfect for
night flight and reading approach plates.

> If you use one, do you strap it on before takeoff? Or wait until it is
> needed to put it on?

I put it on before takeoff since I like it under my headset.

Do you put in on under or over your headset? In either
> case, how long can you tolerate it?

I have had no problems going 2 or 3 hours with it. Over time I have loosened
the band to a very loose setting since that relieves the pressure, making it
quite tolerable.


--
Peter

[Chris G.]

Casey,

I went to the evil megastore known as Wal-Mart and found a headlamp that
has red LED, white LED, and incandescent lights that runs on a single AA
battery. It's about $11-12 and is produced by Ray-O-Vac. I've used it
for a couple of years for night flying and it's not too bright or to
dim. The white light also works well. It has a couple straps that
holds it well on your head.

It's a cheaper, better solution than I've seen in ANY aviation-related
store/catalog/sales-website.

This amazon link has a picture of it.

http://tinyurl.com/ya94gx

Chris G., PP-ASEL
Salem, Oregon


Casey Wilson wrote:
> I'd like to revisit a topic bandied about on this newsgroup many moons ago.
> At the time I wasn't in the market for one of those LED gizmos that straps
> on the head -- now I am.
> I vaguely recall there being some adverse criticism about the inability
> to control what was perceived as "too bright." Is that still the case? Or
> have the devices improved since then?
> If you use one, do you strap it on before takeoff? Or wait until it is
> needed to put it on? Do you put in on under or over your headset? In either
> case, how long can you tolerate it?
> I did some unsuccessful Googling to see if I could find one that will
> clip onto the side or top of the headset. Anybody seen something like that?
> (I did find the one that will clip onto the bill of a cap, but it didn't
> seem like it would work on the headset.)
>

[Jack Cunniff[_1_]]

"Casey Wilson" > writes:

>I'd like to revisit a topic bandied about on this newsgroup many moons ago.
>At the time I wasn't in the market for one of those LED gizmos that straps
>on the head -- now I am.
> I vaguely recall there being some adverse criticism about the inability
>to control what was perceived as "too bright." Is that still the case? Or
>have the devices improved since then?
> If you use one, do you strap it on before takeoff? Or wait until it is
>needed to put it on? Do you put in on under or over your headset? In either
>case, how long can you tolerate it?
> I did some unsuccessful Googling to see if I could find one that will
>clip onto the side or top of the headset. Anybody seen something like that?
>(I did find the one that will clip onto the bill of a cap, but it didn't
>seem like it would work on the headset.)

http://www.mypilotstore.com/mypilotstore/sep/1490 for the Pelican headset
flightlight system. (I googled, this came up.)

I had a head-strap LED light, but it would get bumped into the "on"
position occasionally, and ran the batteries down once too many times. I
never got around to needing it in the plane. The LED flashlight I have
(three white LEDs, one blue, one red) gives me all the extra "aimable"
light I need, so haven't replaced the head-strap light. Your mileage may,
of course, vary.

-Jack

[Marco Leon]

On Jan 25, 1:20 pm, "Peter R." > wrote:
I have had no problems going 2 or 3 hours with it. Over time I have
loosened
> the band to a very loose setting since that relieves the pressure, making it
> quite tolerable.

I have the same one from Eveready. I too have loosened it over time as
it would give me a headache after an hour or so. This model also has a
"pitch" adjustment so you can have the red light shine on the approach
plate with minimal head tilting.

Got mine at Target for $12 and use it all the time. Like Peter, I put
it under my headset band.

Marco

[Peter R.]

On 1/25/2007 1:50:09 PM, "Marco Leon" wrote:

> This model also has a
> "pitch" adjustment so you can have the red light shine on the approach
> plate with minimal head tilting.

Good point. I forget to mention that fact.

> Got mine at Target for $12 and use it all the time.

Yep, that's where I bought mine, too.

--
Peter

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

"Casey Wilson" > wrote in message
news:Bj6uh.3184$R65.730@trnddc01...
> I'd like to revisit a topic bandied about on this newsgroup many moons
> ago. At the time I wasn't in the market for one of those LED gizmos that
> straps on the head -- now I am.
> I vaguely recall there being some adverse criticism about the inability
> to control what was perceived as "too bright." Is that still the case? Or
> have the devices improved since then?

There is a lot of variaty in terms of brightness and color (just red, just
white, both). I have one that is just white LED's, but it has three
brightness settings. And it tilts to aim up and down. That works well. Red
would probably be a better option in the cockpit...

> If you use one, do you strap it on before takeoff? Or wait until it is
> needed to put it on? Do you put in on under or over your headset? In
> either case, how long can you tolerate it?

I don't fly much anymore - but I sometimes wear it all night on the boat and
turn it on / off as required.

Batteries last at least a year with ocassional use...

The trick is to not look at people when you talk to them when you have it on
:-)

--
Geoff
The Sea Hawk at Wow Way d0t Com
remove spaces and make the obvious substitutions to reply by mail
When immigration is outlawed, only outlaws will immigrate.

[Ross]

Casey Wilson wrote:

> I'd like to revisit a topic bandied about on this newsgroup many moons ago.
> At the time I wasn't in the market for one of those LED gizmos that straps
> on the head -- now I am.
> I vaguely recall there being some adverse criticism about the inability
> to control what was perceived as "too bright." Is that still the case? Or
> have the devices improved since then?
> If you use one, do you strap it on before takeoff? Or wait until it is
> needed to put it on? Do you put in on under or over your headset? In either
> case, how long can you tolerate it?
> I did some unsuccessful Googling to see if I could find one that will
> clip onto the side or top of the headset. Anybody seen something like that?
> (I did find the one that will clip onto the bill of a cap, but it didn't
> seem like it would work on the headset.)
>

I have one of the Rayovac $14.00 jobs. First on is two red leds, second
setting is one white led, the third setting is an incandesce bulb. I put
the thing on first then head set. It is ready to go. Nice for night
preflights and cockpit duties. I usually left it off until needed and
the first click was the red leds. I found it brighter that I really
liked, but I could point it to the shadows in my C-172. A responder
commented you do not want to be moving your head during night IFR. I
guess that could be a problem, but you have to move your head anyway to
look at what you want. The "aviation" ones are too expensive. This
works fine. My wife like to read in the plane and she has one and used
the red leds to read. She said it didn't bother her at all.

--

Regards, Ross
C-172F 180HP
KSWI

[Morgans]

"Casey Wilson" > wrote

> I did some unsuccessful Googling to see if I could find one that will
> clip onto the side or top of the headset. Anybody seen something like
> that? (I did find the one that will clip onto the bill of a cap, but it
> didn't seem like it would work on the headset.)

You might want to look at a type that gives more flexibility that the ball
cap type, or the headband type. I always found that the ability to move the
aiming point up and down was about the most important ability in a light of
this type, to get the light in the place where it needed to be, according to
where my bifocals "wanted" my head to be tilted.

Do you wear glasses? If you do, there is a small led that hooks onto the
temple of your eye glasses. If you don't, there is another style that has
an upper frame of eyeglasses, and has a ball joint adjustable light on each
side of the frame, and gives great aiming flexibility.

They should be about the right brightness for night operations. I have not
tried wearing the fake frame with my glasses, but that might still be the
best way to go, because of the better aiming system. The clip on style do
not have a ball joint, and you would have to improvise to get the best
aiming. I slipped a small piece of model airplane fuel tube over the
clamping system, to make them stay where I aimed them.

I got these at Lowe's hardware and lumber stores.

Another unrelated point, is a new type of light just out, available at
Lowe's.

I recently got a replacement bulb for my 3-D cell Maglight, that is a 3 watt
LED bulb! All I can say, is WoW! The brightness and purity of light and
evenness of pattern is hard to believe. It would make night pre-flights
much more "revealing."

I saw a day or two ago, that there is now a 3 watt LED flashlight now
available in a 3-AA model. I've got to get one of these babies! 3 watts is
an amazing difference if what you have ever seen in a flashlight.
--
Jim in NC
--
Jim in NC

[john smith]

Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe wrote:
> There is a lot of variaty in terms of brightness and color (just red, just
> white, both). I have one that is just white LED's, but it has three
> brightness settings. And it tilts to aim up and down. That works well. Red
> would probably be a better option in the cockpit...

Blue is actually the best. Provides bright light without destroying your
night vision.

[JGalban[_12_]]

I was looking for good supplemental cockpit lighting when a friend
turned me on to the Ashlight. It mounts in the useless ashtray hole
and provides excellent illumination from 4 red LEDs. One on the
pilot's side is plenty in my Cherokee, but I'm thinking of getting
another for the passenger door, for use as a boarding/courtesy light.

The main thing I like about it is that I don't have to remember to
bring it with me or figure out how to clip it to my head. It runs on
a couple of AA batteries, which have so far lasted over a year.

John Galban=====>N4BQ (PA28-180)


--
JGalban
Posted at www.flight.org

[Dave S]

I use a pelican LED light, usually green lens, velcro'd to the earcup.
it bathes the panel in a soft light. Uses 4 button batteries. A cop shop
or aviation supply house should have em for about 20 bux. The case is
the same width/circumference as a AAA pelican light, but the lengh is
much shorter.. maybe 1.5 inches at the most.

I have 3 of those. If my flight will include dusk or dark its on the
earcup before I start up. I have another around my neck. the back up is
in the bag along with a BRIGHT led torch and a luminous "electric chemlite"

The green doesnt wash out red/magenta on the charts like a red lamp does.

Dave

Casey Wilson wrote:
> I'd like to revisit a topic bandied about on this newsgroup many moons ago.
> At the time I wasn't in the market for one of those LED gizmos that straps
> on the head -- now I am.
> I vaguely recall there being some adverse criticism about the inability
> to control what was perceived as "too bright." Is that still the case? Or
> have the devices improved since then?
> If you use one, do you strap it on before takeoff? Or wait until it is
> needed to put it on? Do you put in on under or over your headset? In either
> case, how long can you tolerate it?
> I did some unsuccessful Googling to see if I could find one that will
> clip onto the side or top of the headset. Anybody seen something like that?
> (I did find the one that will clip onto the bill of a cap, but it didn't
> seem like it would work on the headset.)
>

[Blueskies]

"Casey Wilson" > wrote in message news:Bj6uh.3184$R65.730@trnddc01...
: I'd like to revisit a topic bandied about on this newsgroup many moons ago.
.....

: I did some unsuccessful Googling to see if I could find one that will
: clip onto the side or top of the headset. Anybody seen something like that?
: (I did find the one that will clip onto the bill of a cap, but it didn't
: seem like it would work on the headset.)
:
: --
: Regards,
:
: Casey Wilson
: Freelance Writer
: and Photographer
:

I don't like the reflection back at me from the windshield and windows when I wear one of these head band type lights. I
prefer the little one that clips on the visor...