What better place for a French company to unveil flashy exterior aircraft lights than Las Vegas? Aircelle, a Safran company, is demonstrating thin electric lights that can be used to display full-color graphics, logos, and messages on aircraft exteriors. If nothing else, it should increase the visibility and therefore the safety of business and airline jets flying at night.
The company is exhibiting its products during the National Business Aviation Association convention in Las Vegas Nov. 17 through 19.
The lights, run by on-board electrical power, can be placed almost anywhere on an aircraft, from the fuselage and belly to engine nacelles and tail. The lights, no thicker than a decal, can be reprogrammed to change the message or color. They were tested on an Airbus A380 airliner earlier this year and were seen at the Paris Air Show.
The idea for the lighting grew out of Aircelle’s work placing detailed designs on airliner engine nacelles.
