Aircraft Interior Lighting

If you like lights and options then you will like this part of the construction. You can install none, some or a ton of cabin and instrument lights all depending on what you need and how much you want to spend. It is a good idea to light up your flight critical instruments, as it can still be overcast on a perfectly good flying day. You may have some difficulty seeing those little lines in such conditions so give it a thought anyway.

Okay here we go. Instrument lighting options include edge panel lighting, post lights, fiber optic lighting, flood lights and glow strips. You will more than likely need a dimmer unit to control the light intensity and it is good practice to have a circuit breaker to isolate the circuit. Lighting prices can vary betwwen the type of lighting you prefer but it is rather easy to put a couple hundered dollars into an instrument panel lighting system. The different options all have positive and negative aspects to their installation, maintenance and repair or replacement. I am positive that if you want instrument lighting you will find something you like. Installation of instrument lights is the same as what you had to accomplish for your position lights the difference being a dimmer control switch.

Cockpit lights are of a spotlight or flood light and dual purpose type. The dual purpose light utilizes a mount base and the light has a coiled cord so it can be portable within the cabin. Eyeball lights can swivel in their reeceptacle and project a beam of light to where it is needed most. You will not need any switches as these types have have built in switches.

Look at your options and budget, make up your shopping list but before you place that order, let's look at Auxillary Lighting and we still need some Avionics to put the panel together.