[R-390] Meters - Back Lighting

Sun, 4 May 2003 17:26:45 -0700

I was Chief Engineer at a competitor in LA back in late 80's early 90's.
Grimes was notorious in new airframe programs in providing gratis an entire
shipset of lighting for prototype and safety of flight. They'd invariably
get the initial contract but default or charge 10X the original quote when
it came time for actual production. We'd usually get the second source
contract and it would turn into the whole enchilada after a while. I've got
strobes flying on much of our military inventory: AV8B, FA-18E/F, F-14D,
F-15 something, S3B, stuff in the B-2 and F-117, C-130, P-3, etc. Grimes or
Sheldahl couldn't deliver, we could. And yes, the pricing for that kind of
stuff would make most hams go into shock. Imagine a little dimmable
fluorescent using those little 6W tubes selling to Northrop for 1200
dollars. Real cost wasn't too far off, either. S rated components, Tempest
certified, documentation out the wazoo. We'd build twenty per year... Among
other things. We also made widgets.

Bob
Portland, OR

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]On
Behalf Of Dan Arney
Sent: Sunday, May 04, 2003 9:47 AM
To: [email protected]
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [R-390] Meters - Back Lighting

Grimes Co. makes eyebrow lights for the aircraft industry in all sizes.
plus light assemblies for backlit panels. Which are a whole new can of
worms to get into. Due to the inherent frugality of hams most will have
cardiac arrest with the sticker shock. I have made full aircraft panels
using Grimes systems. I think in the 60's when we did this panel for a
Lodestar it was over $15,000.
Hank
KN6DI

_______________________________________________
R-390 mailing list
[email protected]
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/r-390