Lights

The lights system supplies general lighting inside the helicopter and exterior lighting to make sure that other aircraft can see the helicopter during night operation, or in low visibility conditions.

The lights system include interior and exterior lighting. The interior lighting system includes the instrument lighting system, a cockpit interior (overhead) light, and a baggage compartment light. The exterior lighting system includes the landing lights, position lights and anti-collision lights.

The lights system controls are located in the pedestal, with the majority of the controls included as part of the Miscellaneous Control Panel. The interior light control is located above the audio panel (GMA).

The lights system has the systems that follow:

• Cockpit lighting

• Baggage compartment lighting

• Exterior lighting

Cockpit lighting

The cockpit lighting system supplies an adjustable lighting to the control panels, display units, and instruments to make the indications more visible and help the pilot to find the different controls. The system also supplies an adjustable spot lighting in the cockpit and cabin area.

The cockpit lighting system has the components that follow:

• Utility light

• INT LT rotary switch

• PNL LT rotary switch

Utility light

The utility light is installed on the center post, between the pilot and copilot seat. It is a solid-state Light Emitting Diode (LED) source of illumination that uses one LED to make a continuous white light. The intensity of the light is adjustable and controlled by the INT LT rotary switch. It has an aluminum housing and a 360° swivel base made of stainless steel so the direction of the spot light can be adjusted. The INL LT rotary switch is installed on the utility control panel.

PNL LT rotary switch

The PNL LT rotary switch is installed on the miscellaneous control panel. It is a Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM) dual-channel dimmer with an on and “OFF” switch position. The dimmer has approximately 270° of travel and the “BRT” position is at the most clockwise position of the rotary switch. The PNL LT rotary switch controls the lighting intensity on the edge lit panel of the miscellaneous control panel and on the components that follow:

• Standby compass

• Primary Flight Display (PFD)

• Multi-Function Display (MFD)

• GMA 350H audio panel

• RPM annunciator (through the GIA 63H integrated avionics unit)

Operation

The cockpit lighting system is energized with 28 volts DC from the MAIN bus, through the PNL LT rotary switch and can be isolated with the INST LTS circuit breaker.

When the INT LT rotary switch is gradually turned from the “OFF” to the “BRT” position, the output voltage to the cabin/map light increases from 0 to 28 volts DC for the light to come on and the brightness to increase.

When the PNL LT rotary switch is gradually turned from the “OFF” to the “BRT” position, the following occur:

• The output voltage to the edge lit panel of the miscellaneous control panel and to the standby compass increases from 0 to 28 volts DC for the light of the panel and the compass to come on and the brightness to increase.

• The output voltage to the components that follow increases from 0 to an adjusted voltage. The signal is then used to control the lighting intensity of these components:

  • Primary Flight Display (PFD)

  • Multi-Function Display (MFD)

  • GMA 350H audio panel

  • RPM annunciator (through the GIA 63H integrated avionics unit)

Baggage compartment lighting

he baggage compartment lighting system supplies general lighting in the baggage compartment and gives an indication to the crew when the baggage compartment door is open.

The baggage compartment lighting system has the components that follow:

• Baggage compartment light

• Micro switch, baggage compartment light

Baggage compartment light

The baggage compartment light is installed on the aft bulkhead, inside the baggage compartment. It is a solid-state LED source of illumination that uses six LEDs to make a continuous white light. The light is controlled by the baggage-compartment light micro-switch and has a housing made of aluminum and a clear polycarbonate lens.

Micro switch, baggage compartment light

The micro switch is installed on the aft post of the baggage compartment door. It is a Double Pole, Double Throw (DPDT) micro switch that controls the baggage compartment light and the Crew Alerting System (CAS) indication through the open or closed position of the baggage compartment door. The micro switch uses a roller lever actuator to sense the position of the door.

Operation

The baggage compartment lighting system is energized with 28 volts DC from the MAIN bus and can be isolated with the BAG LT circuit breaker.

When the baggage door is open, the following occur:

• One set of contacts in the micro switch close and supply 28 volts DC to the baggage compartment light for the light to come on.

• The other set of contacts in the micro switch open and no longer apply a ground to the Integrated Avionics Unit (GIA 63H) for the BAGGAGE DOOR caution message to come on.

When the baggage door is closed, the following occur:

• One set of contacts in the micro switch open and no longer supply 28 volts DC to the baggage compartment light for the light to go off.

• The other set of contacts in the micro switch close and apply a ground to the Integrated Avionics Unit (GIA 63H) for the BAGGAGE DOOR caution message to go off.

Exterior Lighting

The exterior lighting system helps the pilot to see the landing and taxi area and permits other aircraft to know the position and direction of the helicopter and to see it at a distance during night or in low visibility conditions.

The exterior lighting system has the systems that follows:

• Landing lighting

• Position lighting

• Anti-collision lighting

Landing lighting

The landing lighting system provides the pilot with forward and side reference illumination during night operation or in low visibility conditions.

The landing lighting system includes the components that follow:

• Landing light

• Taxi lights

• Landing light switch

Landing light

The landing light is installed in the nose cone. It is a solid-state Light Emitting Diode (LED) source of illumination that uses 12 LEDs to make a continuous white light. The landing light has a 10-degree vertical and horizontal beam pattern. It is controlled by the landing light switch and has a housing made of aluminum alloy with a clear polycarbonate lens.

Taxi lights

The taxi lights are located on either side of the nose cone. They are a solid-state LED source of illumination that use LEDs to make a continuous white light. The taxi lights provide the pilot with a side reference at night especially during the taxi phase of flight. They are controlled by the landing light switch and has a housing made of aluminum alloy with a clear polycarbonate lens.

Landing light switch

The landing light switch is installed on the pilot collective grip. It is a Single Pole, Double Throw (SPDT) toggle switch that controls the landing light and the taxi lights through two positions: “ON” and “OFF”.

Operation

The landing lighting system is energized with 28 volts DC through the landing light switch of the pilot collective grip. When the switch is set to the ‟ON” position power is supplied to the landing light and taxi lights for illumination.

Position lighting

The position lighting system includes the components that follow:

• Left (red) position light

• Right (green) position light

• Tail light

• POS LT switch

Left (red) position light

The left (red) position light is installed on the outboard surface of the upper-left mid-fuselage access-panel. It is a solid-state Light Emitting Diode (LED) source of illumination that uses three LEDs to make a continuous red light. The light has a housing made of aluminum and a clear polycarbonate lens. The light is controlled by the POS LT switch on the (MISC CTRL PNL).

Right (green) position light

The right (green) position light is installed on the outboard surface of the upper-right mid-fuselage access-panel. It is a solid-state LED source of illumination that uses three LEDs to make a continuous green light. The light has a housing made of aluminum and a clear polycarbonate lens. The light is controlled by the POS LT switch on the (MISC CTRL PNL).

Tail position light

The tail position light is attached to the trailing edge of the horizontal stabilizer, near the center line of the tailboom. It is a solid-state LED source of illumination that uses six LEDs to make a continuous white light. The light has a housing made of aluminum and a clear polycarbonate lens. The light is controlled by the POS LT switch on the (MISC CTRL PNL).

POS LT switch

The POS LT switch is installed on the (MISC CTRL PNL). It is a Single Pole, Double Throw (SPDT) toggle switch that controls the left (red) position light, right (green) position light, and Tail position light through two positions: “POS LT” i.e., on and “OFF”.

Operation

The position lighting system is energized with 28 volts DC through the POS LT switch on the miscellaneous control panel. When the switch is set to the ‟POS LT” position power is supplied to the left (red) position light, the right (green) position light, and the tail light for illumination.

Anti-collision lighting

The anti-collision lighting system permits other aircraft to see the helicopter at a distance to prevent collision during night operation, or in low visibility conditions.

The anti-collision lighting system includes the components that follow:

• Anti-collision light

• ANTI COLL LT switch

Anti-collision light

The anti-collision light, or strobe light, is installed on the top of the vertical stabilizer. It is a solid-state Light Emitting Diode (LED) source of illumination that flashes 40 to 50 times per minute. The light has a housing made of aluminum, a clear polycarbonate lens, and 32 red LEDs. The light is controlled by the ANTI COLL LT switch.

ANTI COLL LT switch

The ANTI COLL LT switch is installed on the miscellaneous control panel (MISC CTRL PNL). It is a Single Pole, Double Throw (SPDT) toggle switch that controls the anti-collision light through two positions: “ANTI COLL LT” i.e., on and “OFF”.

Operation

The anti-collision lighting system is energized with 28 volts DC from the MAIN bus and can be isolated with the ANTI-COL LTS circuit breaker. When the ANTI COLL LT switch is set to the “ANTI COLL LT” position, contacts in the switch close and supply 28 volts DC to the anti-collision light for the light to flash.