Solarforce are good, but for heavy use not really the best thermally speaking. Just suggested that since you mentioned it. There are definitely better - often more expensive - options.
Is the 2000 ft estimate of yours pretty firm? Cause no way any SF L2 based light is throwing that far. Unless I am wrong and sleeping on the larger heads available.
Actually, not too sure any single 18650 will throw quite that far out the box. I’m no expert. What do you guys think?
Ashperics??
2000’ is 603.3 meters. You dont happen to mention, but do you need to spot from the cockpit through the windshield? I could see that being an issue.
I know my convoy l2 is reaching 300 or so meters going off google maps ( sorry im on my mobile so I cant do an accurate measurement or grab a screen grab that works). It’ll reach further easily, but double? I doubt that tbh, not without work and that light out throws any xm-l based thrower I have. It could be built to be pocket able as the host can run one or two cells but the head is 65mm + I’d think you need either a really hard driven xm-l or xp-g2, copper mounted in a damm big reflector, particularly since an airport will have similar light pollution to what I experience around here.
Out of interest, anyone know the range of a deft x, just to put things in perspective?
ok…….this is the longest throwing flashlight I’m aware of, to give you an idea, this will do it, easily……
DEFT-X OMG Strikes Back!!! | Candle Power Flashlight Forum!!!
However, it does come with a hefty price tag. I do feel your looking at something custom rather than an off the shelf solution, unless you up your price tag, maybe pm ilikeflashlights and ask him about his throwers, all are off the shelf but he’ll know what his test range is to give you an idea. I think off memory its about 475 yards.
2000' is beyond what a single cell pocket light will do, I think. But I'm not really into the 'maximum throw at the expense of everything else' lights like some here are... and to me a light with that kind of range will not be very good at close range stuff. Just too many compromises (like choosing LEDs with smaller die size to get the throw, at the expense of giving up total lumens - like the tiny little XP-E with an aspheric lens) made to get there. Maybe that's why you were initially going for a zoomie light? Hoping to get the best of both worlds?
An XP-G2 on copper and driven really hard can do ~900 lumens... de-domed to get better throw will knock the total output down some, say 700 lumens? But the throw will greatly increase, and it's still a nice enough beam to work close up.
If I had some LEDseal here to protect the LED after de-doming I'd build you one, I have everything here on hand to do one. But I wouldn't feel right handing a naked LED to someone maybe not aware of how fragile they can be with that dome off.
This simple addition makes them about as good as anything else:
Take some 3/4" copper pipe, cut off a ring about .325" long. Slit it so it makes a 'C' shape, and spread it out a bit so it's a tight fit into the light body. Trial fit it and file it down as needed to a height that keeps the bezel/head (or whatever, depending on the design) just shy of seating completely, so that the reflector is clamped down tight between the copper spacer and the lens.
If you swap out drop-ins often, take all your reflectors and sand the bases down so that the OAL is the same on all of them, then the fit will be the same no matter which one you stick in. That also lets you put a nice wide flat surface on the base of the reflector to mate with the copper spacer.
Plus, you also get to throw away all those annoying outer springs as you get a much better ground path.
tl;dr version:
I’m pretty sure an XinTD would make you exceptionally happy, and the price tag also creates a big smile.
There really isn’t much in the way of comparable quality lights with a similar price.
the copper ring is neat. i feel like having one too since wrapping P60 host with cooking alu foil is not so good. will be torn and will be not firm easily.
3/4 miles is about 1200 meters. just OMG -ing the light…impressive…
Pretty sure thrunite tn31 is still the throw king at the moment. Not sure if OP is trying to spend that much or carry something that large.
For p60s… foil is a pain, and not that effective. If you can’t do the copper spacer method, use copper tape instead. Much easier to work with than alu foil, and more effective.
agree, foil is easy to find but really hard to implement properly… with aid of thermal grease as glue, does help…
I can’t find any local store selling copper tape…copper pipe with that diameter is also hard to find here…gonna end up ordering one tape from ebay…
Pipe sizes are weird, the size in the name has little relationship to the actual measurements... "3/4 inch" measures .875" OD, .040" wall thickness. Surely something roughly equivalent is available everywhere. Doesn't have to be pipe, either, copper sheet/plate can be used too. Cut a strip the right width and bend it into a circle. Trim length & height to fit. Pipe is just more convenient.
Some hardware stores might have it. Then there’s of course fleabay, amazon, or you could add some to your next order from Illumination Supply HERE
Alright guys I think were getting a little off topic here LOL. I appreciate all the help; I honestly didn’t think I would be getting this many replies considering I’m a newbie here. You guys definitely have more knowledge on the topic than I could ever hope to find. Let me see if I can answer all of these and then put it to a vote.
Haterade - I enjoy Solarforce because they are relatively cheap, most of the parts are interchangeable, they make their own drop-ins and they are easy to find. I don’t intend on using the light for more than a minute or two at a time, so it doesn’t bother me if it gets hot or not. I was just estimating the 2000ft standard. I just want maximum throwing distance for around 50 or so bucks.
gords1001 - I have a small window that I can stick my arm out of the cockpit when I’m on the ground taxing. This is why I can’t have a very large flashlight because the hole is just large enough to get my arm through, much less trying to stick a 2 foot long, 10lb flashlight out the window and then expect to hang onto it with the engines running. That DEFT X is sweet, but its just way too expensive.
comfychair - I don’t expect it to get banged around very much, but it will be shoved into a bunch of small pockets, including my own; bags, briefcases, etc etc. I initially thought about a zoomie because I figured I could get a bit of flood out of it, and then focus it down to a small beam at distance.
ChiggerPepi - That XinTD looks right on point! Great find man. Especially when its rated at 1050 Lumens! Its going on the list.
Haterade - The Thrunite tn31 is a sweet light but I can’t spend that much money on a light right now man. Its gotta be bellow 100 bucks for sure, and would prefer it to be around 50ish dollars.
thanks for the hints guys :) I'm gonna choose this or that one.
edit: @Yourrid, sorry for off topic in your thread..gonna stop now :D
XinTD C8 is a great light for the money. Have one. Not a super amazing thrower, but very solid throw (and spill).
One Stop Throw Shop has a couple models around $50 including one that sort of resembles the C8. Similar size any ways. Might be worth a look.
Jacob A60 has stupid throw for $15, but a very narrow pencil beam. That might be OK for tail markings? Not sure.
Still trying to find that badass budget aspheric that E1320 used to recommend… can’t recall the damn name argh!
No problem man! Were all just trying to get a leg up here anyways!
Alright guys I put a poll up in this subforum so please go vote on which one is the best!
OK found it, it was the UF-T20 after all. Supposedly a wicked thrower for the cost. Will vote in the poll. 
UPDATE:
After talking with Tom E for a while, I finally made a decision. I had Tom E upgrade it and I just got it in the mail this past weekend.
I ended up buying the HD2010 due to how cheap it was for how much power you get out of it.
Here are the before and after specs and what was done to it:
Overall, this thing ROCKS (I’m running it on the same KK IRC 4000’s that Tom recommended). I haven’t been able to test it at any absurd distance yet, but so far, I haven’t found anything in my back yard that it couldn’t light up like Christmas. It blows my $100 Maglite LED straight out of the freakin water. No comparison at all.
I appreciate everyone’s help on this, especially Tom E who made me one killer light. I definitely highly recommend him if you are ever needing a light customized or tweaked.
Those numbers sound awesome Yourrid. It’s amazing that a HD2010 can get 200kcd, I think it’s just under 50kcd stock. That’s 4 times the normal throw! That’s one crazy compact thrower you have there.
that does sound like a wicked thrower there. glad you found what you needed.
