Development of a dimmable aircraft fluorescent light system

THE DEVELOPMENT program to be described was for the Douglas DC-8 commercial jet airplane and was inaugurated to provide an effective dimmable aircraft fluorescent light system. Prior to this development none was available. The deficiency had made fluorescent lighting for aircraft unattractive, despite its many other advantages. Specifically, the purpose of this program was to design and develop two dimmable systems: one for the cabin which would have a maximum lamp current of 150-ma and an extremely high dimming ratio, and one for the cockpit which would have a maximum lamp current of 200-ma (very high light level) and a moderate dimming ratio.