Light Emitting Diode Replacement for MIL6363/3-2: The LED NavLight

Standard filament light bulbs are being replaced by light emitting diode (LED) technology at a rapid pace in areas as diverse as automotive and commercial / residential lighting. LED’s provide relatively high efficiency in a compact device but the major selling point is the extended life span, reducing and often eliminating the need to replace burned out light bulbs. Standard filament bulbs used in aviation are often short-lived, due to vibration and temperature extremes. Frequent replacement is required, and the fixtures are often difficult to access, increasing the effective cost of the replacement far beyond the cost of the bulb alone. An LED replacement for the bulb used in the Air Force wing tip navigation and position light assembly would provide vastly superior vibration resistance and long life. To this end, Nanohmics has developed a drop-in LED replacement for the M6363/3-2 reflector SC bayonet mount bulb used in these wingtip lighting assemblies. The Nanohmics LED replacement has the same physical dimensions as well as comparable light output and angular intensity while using less electrical power. The bulb works from the electrical power specifications already present in the targeted aircraft and in the same bright/dim modes that current incandescent does. BENEFIT: The replacement of the incandescent bulbs, which are used for many aircraft applications, with LEDs promises to yield a large cost savings through decreased maintenance and parts costs. The use of innovative thermal management strategies which eliminate the need to replace the existing fixture will also translate into a cost savings and remove a major barrier to implementation. Since many of these bulbs are employed in signaling and safety applications, the implantation of a longer lived bulb will also increase the safety factor of the application. These benefits extend beyond the military and into commercial as well as civil aviation applications.