My airplane (Ken Cottle's KR-1?) didn't come with landing/taxi lights. I wasn't about to possibly mess up the beautiful Diehl wing skins and didn't want to add complexity to the lower cowling which comes off and on a lot, so decided to put my lights on the belly board. Lenses are angled so they are pointing ahead - one a little more than the other - even though the board is only at 45? when fully extended. The lights recess into holes I cut in the bottom of the fuselage.
It would be nice if they were powerful enough to spot a deer five hundred feet down the runway, but they're not. I may put stronger lights in someday. It's not necessary to have lights for night takeoffs or landings of course, although they help with depth perception when flaring, especially with carrier-top runways. Their primary value is with taxiing. Trying to find that turnout, even at familiar airports, is a lot easier than using a flashlight. Seeing the hold short lines, especially at controlled fields, is almost impossible without some light. I don't think I've ever seen belly board-mounted lights on any other KR's, so thought I'd mention it. The better place would be one on each wingtip as on a Comanche, but with my ham-handed skills I wasn't about to tear into the pristine wings. Mike KSEE ____________________________________________________________ The #1 Worst Carb Ever? Click to Learn #1 Carb that Kills Your Blood Sugar (Don't Eat This!) http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/54148f384de20f381f89st03vuc
