Posted: 12/18/2009 3:57:17 PM EDT
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Ok, kind off the "Aviation" i.e. flying topic, but I need a x-mas gift for my father. He works for Flight Safety as an instructor and I am looking to get him a flashlight that he can use when he is training. I'm really looking for something with variable light output (low/high outputs). So, if you would be so kind to help out, I'd appreciate it.
I know Surefire makes some, but I'm not sure which model is the best. Thanks in advance. |
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Well, I guess this is the first thing that came to my mind With the red LEDs to help preserve night vision |
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I don't know whether this is what I'd get for a father as a major gift, but I always wear one of those energizer strap-on head lamps with the red and white LEDs when I fly at night. It's just another thing to wear along with your headset, and if I need red light in the cockpit, I don't have to take my eyes off the cluster for a second to access it. There are two versions that I have. I prefer the cheaper one with the switch that lets you switch either the red or white; the other one requires you to cycle through them and the white light is really bright in the cockpit.
This is the one I prefer: http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=288208-346-HD33A1EH6&lpage=none 
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Quoted:
Well, I guess this is the first thing that came to my mind With the red LEDs to help preserve night vision I dunno.. WAY overpriced IMO... Something like this would work very well.... I have one of the Fenix flashlights and it's bright enough to hit the top of the tail on a 767 but you can turn it down to a reasonable level in the cockpit. Never really concerned about the red light as I have always liked using white (but dim) in the cockpit. |
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I use a new style mini mag in my Cessna. It has a bright and dim setting. Plus a useless strobe and SOS setting. There are plenty of filters available for the minimag. I put it in the old Cessna style microphone holder.
I recently purchased a Surefire LED G2. In my opinion, it's one of the best flashlights around. It's polymer with a thin metal sleeve and fully metal head. It's super light. Won't break if dropped, waterproof, cheap, has regulated power to the LED for long battery life, and best of all, you can hold it in your teeth because it's soft enough. Yes, all flashlight users do this in emergencies. It's also bright enough to be useful around aircraft. Surefire has flip up filters available. 
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That Surefire was cool in its day, but now WAY overpriced in a LED market. I've been flying for 15 yrs and have had TONS of different flashlights. The three I have with me for the last several yrs:
-Pelican L1 NVG green filter around my neck -Seitz Scientific Mike Lite NVG green on my helmet mic -Fenix P1D for preflight All very small, very lightweight. |
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Well, I guess this is the first thing that came to my mind With the red LEDs to help preserve night vision The various colors of light don't really have all that much effect on saving or destroying natural night-vision. It's mostly light intensity. I have the A2 in green (to limit its effect on NVD's). It's a nice light. Sometimes the LED's don't come on when they're supposed to. I sent it back to the factory, and they "repaired" it with no effect on the problem. Meh, I still like it. |
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That Surefire was cool in its day, but now WAY overpriced in a LED market. Sure, you can purchase a brighter, Chinese, Fenix. However, it is not polymer, it burns up batteries and it has many fewer options. Plus, Surefire updated the LED used. It's brighter, has a higher CRI (color rendition index) and is not overdriven like so many others, so it can be expected to last. My ultra bright Chinese LED flashlights are all losing brightness because the LED's are junk. Some are really horrible. |
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That Surefire was cool in its day, but now WAY overpriced in a LED market. Sure, you can purchase a brighter, Chinese, Fenix. However, it is not polymer, it burns up batteries and it has many fewer options. Plus, Surefire updated the LED used. It's brighter, has a higher CRI (color rendition index) and is not overdriven like so many others, so it can be expected to last. My ultra bright Chinese LED flashlights are all losing brightness because the LED's are junk. Some are really horrible. Not saying they are better quality......It's just that they are almost so high priced, that I will go with the [alleged] lower quality one (which I rarely do.) I can buy 3-4 Fenix's for what a SureFire costs. I own two Surefires––they're great lights––but they were freakin' expensive and so were the accessories. I use my Fenix light everyday for the past year and I've only replaced the ONE 3v lithium ONCE. With the SureFire 9Z, it was THREE 3v every 90 days. Even with the most powerful bulb in the 9Z, the Fenix P1D is brighter. And it has three intensity settings and two strobes. Fenix's are surely not junk. We're not talking about the cheapy ones at the gas station that have 12 LEDs on the front and are made out of light plastic. And if it does break and the warranty doesn't cover it, toss it and buy another. You're still $100 richer than if you bought the SureFire Aviator. |
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Isn't a flashlight where pilots store dead batteries?
I'll show my age and lack of currency here: When was the requirement for night flight a flashlight with 2 D cells dropped? I'm so old, I can remember when they stopped requiring a clock with a sweep second hand for IFR 
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Quoted: I don't know whether this is what I'd get for a father as a major gift, but I always wear one of those energizer strap-on head lamps with the red and white LEDs when I fly at night. It's just another thing to wear along with your headset, and if I need red light in the cockpit, I don't have to take my eyes off the cluster for a second to access it. There are two versions that I have. I prefer the cheaper one with the switch that lets you switch either the red or white; the other one requires you to cycle through them and the white light is really bright in the cockpit. This is the one I prefer: http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=288208-346-HD33A1EH6&lpage=none http://images.lowes.com/product/039800/039800054678.jpg The backpad soaks up jetfuel with efficiency. Jet fuel is a skin irritant.  |
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Quoted: I can buy 3-4 Fenix's for what a SureFire costs.
I paid $60 for my G2 LED nitrolon Surefire. Which, is the flashlight I would suggest to the OP. It's probably overpriced. However, they are tough, reliable and it's not so expensive as to break the bank. |
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Quoted: Well, I guess this is the first thing that came to my mind With the red LEDs to help preserve night vision This is the one I have, except mine has the white LEDs. It's overpriced for what you get and I'm sure there are better options out there now, but I do like it. I have had it for several years, the only issue I have had is the belt clip snapped and had to be replaced. |
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Quoted: I can buy 3-4 Fenix's for what a SureFire costs.
I paid $60 for my G2 LED nitrolon Surefire. Which, is the flashlight I would suggest to the OP. It's probably overpriced. However, they are tough, reliable and it's not so expensive as to break the bank. Good deal......That's pretty reasonable. I paid $150 for the 9Z before the better bulb, holster, etc. That A2 is about the same if I remember correctly. |
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You should know that as a Flight Safety Instructor your father doesn't actually fly airplanes. He flys a box that looks like a airplane on the inside. He will never have to preflight an airplane on a cold dark ramp. Not to be an ass, but thanks for the update. However, he still needs one to read his crap, hence the variable settings, while he is "flys a box that looks like a airplane on the inside". I would venture to say that after flying for 40 plus years (military and commercial), his requests can be honored. Sorry, but kinda in a bad mood tonight. To many neighbor kids over spending the night. |
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Well, I guess this is the first thing that came to my mind With the red LEDs to help preserve night vision This is the one I have, except mine has the white LEDs. It's overpriced for what you get and I'm sure there are better options out there now, but I do like it. I have had it for several years, the only issue I have had is the belt clip snapped and had to be replaced. Mine stopped working. I called Surefire and did all the troubleshooting steps they told me to do. They sold me another bulb. Still didn't work. I sent it to Surefire for repair and it came back working within two weeks. For such an expensive light I expected more durability. At least I got it as a gift from generous in-laws... 
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| I have that stupid Surefire A2 light as well. At least I got a major discount on the thing, but it does not impress me. I had a bulb blow way too early. I have moved on to a 4sevens quark tactical. They just updated these with the Cree R5 LED which is just awesome. They also cost a fraction of the surefire's and are much brighter. |
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Quoted: Mine stopped working. I called Surefire and did all the troubleshooting steps they told me to do. They sold me another bulb. Still didn't work. I sent it to Surefire for repair and it came back working within two weeks. For such an expensive light I expected more durability. At least I got it as a gift from generous in-laws... They had a batch of bad tail caps, my L2 had the same issue. I have quite a few Surefire's and I love my A2's the new A2L (LED) is a very nice light I would suggest one to anyone wanting a great all around light. Don't be scared off by there prices contact Calvin @ Brightflashlighrts for a sizable discount. The L1 is also a great light with Hi/Lo settings I just wish the updated versions were available in colors, currently only white but you might want to search out a RED LED unit. |
| Well, I got the flashlight in today. I went with the Fenix LD10, and bought myself the LD20. Mine is really nice at 180 Lumens, with a second strobe setting, then it has variable settings at 9. 47, and 94 Lumens. Thanks for all the input, I had looked at the Surefire lights but didn't see one that fit the bill. |