Lighting manufacturer Luma Technologies (Booth 3018) announced progress on several fronts at EBACE 2014. The Bellevue, Washington-based company focuses on design and manufacture of lighted products using LED and other solid-state technologies. These include caution-warning systems and display panels, switches, annunciators, integrated gear levers and other electro-mechanical controls.

Nextant G90XT

Nextant Aerospace is offering the Luma Technologies’ 45-station LED caution warning display as standard equipment on its G90XT, which is slated for certification later this year. “Nextant and Luma Technologies have enjoyed a good working relationship since the beginning of the 400XTi program,” said Bruce Maxwell, Luma’s president and founder. “It’s a natural extension for Nextant to carry the 400XTi's LED technology to the G90XT platform. The Luma LED caution warning display will also make a great match with the airplane’s Garmin G1000 avionics suite.”

Beechjet 400A and XP

Soon to enter testing and STC application is Luma’s 52-station LED master caution warning system for the Beechjet 400A and 400XP business jets. Luma’s offering is a single integrated unit designed to be a drop-in replacement of the existing panel. Other benefits include lower weight, plug-and-play installation and a five-year warranty.

“We’re getting pressure on all fronts to get this product to market sooner rather than later,” said Maxwell. “Given the size of the existing fleet and the growing number of complaints about annunciator problems it only makes sense to get this done. Our plan is to have it available late summer or early fall.”

Mahindra GA10 Airvan

Luma also announced that it is completing development of an integrated caution, advisory and warning system for the Mahindra Aerospace GA10 single-engine turboprop, which will soon be entering a joint CASA/FAA certification program.

“This is a very exciting program for us,” Maxwell said. “We have been talking to Mahindra about it since 2010, when they were first conceptualizing what the GA10 would ultimately become. We are pleased at their decision to incorporate a Lumatech system, as it's perfectly suited for the no-nonsense all-terrain missions the GA10 was designed for.”

King Air C90

Finally, Luma Technologies reported recent completion of DO-160 environmental testing on a 45-station Lumatech LED caution/warning panel for the King Air C90 and plans to submit the completed package to the FAA by the end of May. This should have it added to Luma’s AML STC and available for delivery in the mid-June timeframe.

Said Maxwell, “There’s been a lot of activity with our 200, 300, 350, and 1900D systems, but up until now we haven’t had anything to offer the C90 fleet [LJ-1063 and newer].” He added that Luma Technologies can now apply for EASA certification of the entire Lumatech line of King Air offerings.

“We were starting to get a lot of inquiries from King Air operators in Europe and its time we made things easy for them by obtaining EASA Certification,” Maxwell explained. “We’ll soon be able to ship on a global basis, which adds a whole new dimension to the business.”

Luma Technologies is also building a dealer network across the U.S. and has plans of expanding into Europe, Australia, Africa and South America in the coming months.