Ruggedness, High Visibility, Low Power Consumption

Boise, ID-based AeroLEDs, LLC launched its new AeroSUN product at AirVenture, with the intention of targeting the Experimental and LSA marketplaces.

AeroSUN is an LED-based anti-collision, recognition, and landing light system which boasts a 50,000-hour life cycle with an output of 1200 lumens. A massive heat sink and extensive environmental sealing protect the unit from the two main "enemies" of LED technology: heat and water. The AeroSUN unit is designed to be modular, allowing installers to link several units together for synchronized recognition flashing.

100% solid state electronics allow the AeroSUN light to withstand extreme vibration and shock. At AirVenture, company officials made audience members gasp as they demonstrated AeroSUN’s durability by throwing an operating unit to the floor. The unit is completely waterproof, which was also demonstrated at the press conference by switching on an AeroSUN unit immersed in a fishbowl (below).

Priced at $500 for a single unit or $850 for a pair, the units are designed to provide a durable, high-performance ownership experience within the budget of a homebuilder or LSA owner. "The primary function is to provide big-aircraft recognition for small, slow airplanes," explains Mike D’Amico, co-founder of AeroLEDs. D’Amico, an electrical engineer, explains how small, often-Rotex-powered aircraft have electrical systems which struggle at low power settings, such as descent or final approach. "Those are the times when your lighting needs to be at its best," he says.

AeroSUN units may be set to flash either independently or in sync (when multiple units are installed), and may be set to "constant on" for landing and taxi operations. The units boast one of the lowest RF interference signatures in the industry, according to D’Amico. The directional nature of the units directs light where it is needed most: in the path of the aircraft. The LED diodes themselves are similar to the high-intensity units seen on the newest highway patrol cars.

AeroLEDs management expects to pursue other applications for the AeroSUN product, and may announce STCs for retrofit to certified production aircraft in the future.

FMI: www.aeroleds.com