Improved Cabin Lighting Takes Old Citations Into the World of LEDs

Cessna Citation Excel 560XL are the recipient of the newest cabin lighting system from PWI now that the company released a complete PMA-approved system.

PWI's system replaces aging, finicky fluorescent lighting with modern, reliable LEDs in the passenger cabin, galley, and lavatory of the 560XL. Like most lighting upgrades, it doesn't seem like the biggest change in theory, but live in the flesh it seems to add just a little modern feel to an older plane - not to mention being freed of old bulb replacements. PWI says the LED suite boasts a 100,000-hour service life, with no required warmup time when booting up in the cold. In the heat of summer, the LEDs emit less heat, too, while doing away with the buzzing, humming, and flickering, of vintage bulbs. The LEDs opt for a neutral white color temp of 4,000K - that will largely be a style choice for operators, but for the time being LED installations are still fairly novel so emerging trends in a warmer tone have yet to trickle down into aviation. (Perhaps in 10 years that upswell will begin to show in the retrofit industry.)

“Our LEDs are a one-for-one, pre-measured lighting replacement. Since there are several cabin configurations in the Excel, PWI refers to the aircraft owner’s Cessna Interior Maintenance Manual to configure the precise replacement LED system,” said Robi Lorik, PWI President and CEO. “PWI LEDs are a complete system that are ready to install right from the box. We even add replacement dimming controls. This lighting system brings the Excel up to modern appearance and performance standards."

The PWI system can be installed in Excels from serial 5001 through 5349, and uses much of the original cabin trim and wiring. A few options for cabin layouts pushed PWI to make sure they could cover every variation that left the factory, right down to the headliner and downwash lighting on the side of the cabin.

“This latest LED cabin lighting system gives Citation customers PWI LED cabin lighting options for the Citation 525 CJ1, 525 CJ2, Citation V 560, 550 Bravo, Citation II 550 and now the Citation Excel 560XL," Lorik added. That's not all, he noted, saying "We have additional business jet LED cabin lighting systems in the works, including our full-color RGBW systems”

The cabin lighting suite can be had in plenty more in the Citation range, of course, including the V560, 550 Bravo, 550, and CJ1 525. 

FMI: www.pwi-e.com