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FAA Field Approval For A Light Bulb?

Are you flippin kidding me? Thats the family-safe version of my response when a shop wouldnt install a Whelen PAR36 Parmetheus drop-in LED in a readers airplane without first lobbying FAA field approval. The aircraft, a first-gen Cirrus SR22, has a traditional incandescent landing/taxi lamp mounted in the nose bowl. Replacing it with the Whelen drop-in is a matter of accessing the lamp, unscrewing it from the mount, pulling off the connector and installing the new LED lamp in reverse order. Even a caveman could do that.

Larry Anglisano
Verified

Are you flippin’ kidding me? That’s the family-safe version of my response when a shop wouldn’t install a Whelen PAR36 Parmetheus drop-in LED in a reader’s airplane without first lobbying FAA field approval. The aircraft, a first-gen Cirrus SR22, has a traditional incandescent landing/taxi lamp mounted in the nose bowl. Replacing it with the Whelen drop-in is a matter of accessing the lamp, unscrewing it from the mount, pulling off the connector and installing the new LED lamp in reverse order. Even a caveman could do that.

Larry Anglisano

Editor in Chief Larry Anglisano has been a staple at Aviation Consumer since 1995. An active land, sea and glider pilot, Larry has over 30 years’ experience as an avionics repairman and flight test pilot. He’s the editorial director overseeing sister publications Aviation Safety magazine, IFR magazine and is a regular contributor to KITPLANES magazine with his Avionics Bootcamp column.