Astronics Pioneers a New Approach to LED Landing & Taxi Lighting for Aircraft

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  • Patent-pending design optimizes optical efficiency resulting in less heat, weight and longer life
  • More efficient thermal design ensures stable light output

EAST AURORA, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Astronics Corporation (NASDAQ: ATRO), a leader in advanced, high performance lighting, electrical power and automated test systems for the global aerospace and defense industries, announced today the launch of its new cutting edge line of LED Landing and Taxi lights that offer significantly increased life and reduced power consumption when compared with the incandescent versions they are designed to replace.

Astronics' Luminescent Systems Inc. subsidiary has pioneered a revolutionary approach to Landing and Taxi lighting for aerospace applications. The patent pending design optimizes the optical efficiency of the parabolic reflector by placing the LED within the reflector's focal spot. The advantage of the Astronics design is that all stray light is redirected and refocused back into the reflector to amplify intensity. The result is that fewer LEDs are needed. Fewer LEDs translate into less heat, less weight and longer life, resulting in a more stable and reliable product.

James Kramer, Executive Vice President of Astronics, commented, "In contrast to many of the competing LED Landing/Taxi lights that employ large quantities of LEDs pointed straight outward, our approach results in a more efficient thermal design ensuring a stable light output over the life of the product."

Astronics is currently offering the lights in both a PAR36 and PAR46 size in a variety of beam patterns. The lights are also available with an infrared (IR) output for covert operations using night vision goggles. The Company is presently engaged with several commercial and military aircraft manufacturers to retrofit and replace legacy incandescent Landing and Taxi lights with LED versions.

ABOUT ASTRONICS CORPORATION
Astronics Corporation is a leader in advanced, high performance lighting, electrical power and automated test systems for the global aerospace and defense industries. Astronics' strategy is to develop and maintain positions of technical leadership in its chosen aerospace and defense markets, to leverage those positions to grow the amount of content and volume of product it sells to those markets and to selectively acquire businesses with similar technical capabilities that could benefit from our leadership position and strategic direction. Astronics Corporation, and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, DME Corporation, Astronics Advanced Electronic Systems Corp. and Luminescent Systems Inc., have a reputation for high quality designs, exceptional responsiveness, strong brand recognition and best-in-class manufacturing practices. The Company routinely posts news and other important information on its Web site at www.Astronics.com.

For more information on Astronics and its products, visit its Web site at www.Astronics.com

Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined by the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. One can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of the words "expect," "anticipate," "plan," "may," "will," "estimate" or other similar expression. Because such statements apply to future events, they are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include the state of the aerospace industry, the market acceptance of newly developed products, internal production capabilities, the timing of orders received, the status of customer certification processes, the demand for and market acceptance of new or existing aircraft which contain the Company's products, customer preferences, and other factors which are described in filings by Astronics with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking information in this press release whether to reflect changed assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events or changes in future operating results, financial conditions or prospects, or otherwise. 


    Source: Astronics Corporation

Released October 19, 2010