Surefire A2 Aviator Fan checking in

DayofReckoning

Enlightened
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May 1, 2018
Messages
573
Location
USA
The greatest incandescent flashlight ever conceived. A masterpiece of technological innovation. A thing of beauty and wonder. A flashlight so unique that no other exists like it.

As you can tell by my opening statement, I am a HUGE A2 Aviator fan. Maybe huge is an understatement. Either you get this flashlight, or you don't. I was enlightened to the miracle and wonder that the A2 is many moons ago. And there has yet to be a time when this little light has not put a smile on my face.

Despite LED technology advancing everyday, lumens getting brighter and brighter, into the thousands of lumens, nothing is as beautiful to me as the wonderful white, digitally regulated beam that the A2's little filament produces. I've seen the best hotwire beams there are, yet none brings me the joy that little "50 lumen" beam produces. And nothing matches the perfection and simplicity of its UI, the Surefire 2 Stage tailcap.

Surefire has attempted to make 2 successors to the Aviator, and in my humble opinion, neither has come close to matching the original A2. It's uniqueness and legacy is unsurpassed, and will stay that way.

If I was forced to give up every single flashlight I had, but only keep one, I would keep my A2. Long live the A2 Aviator, the greatest incandescent flashlight ever!
 

Lumen83

Enlightened
Joined
Sep 21, 2017
Messages
551
I tend to agree with everything you say about the Aviator, but the leds are horrible. I like that the 6p offers many more options for lamps and upgrades. but, I still find the Aviator to produce a better beam. I just can't get past the horrible tint of the white leds and the bizarre artifacts of the other colors. I have a love hate relationship with it. Its much more suitable to a pocket EDC than the 6p though. I know there have been some led upgrades in the past. Wish I could have gotten my hands on them because then the Aviator would be my absolute perfect light.

Of course, at the time it was as good as it gets for leds. And, I'm unaware of another incan that compares to it, especially since they're not exactly being manufactured to great extent anymore. So, you may be accurate that it is the best incan of all times.
 
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DRoc

Newly Enlightened
Joined
May 15, 2008
Messages
125
I love mine. Bought more than ten of them a few years back...every colour and then some extras.
Great light.
 

novice

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Apr 19, 2006
Messages
1,033
Lumen83,
If you get one of the aftermarket "led rings" by Koala, you can plug in any 5mm led you wish, including the Yuji "high CRI" 5mm leds. While you are in the process of prepping the leds (trimming the leads, removing the flange), you can sand the leds with, for example, a thin grey Scotch 3M sanding sponge (fine grit), and you will have no artifacts or cloverleaf pattern. Calipsoi makes, or used to make, an led ring also.

Tad Customs makes a bulb adapter and sells the very economical bulbs to go with them, to replace the expensive/hard-to-find Surefire lamp assembly.
 
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bykfixer

Flashaholic
Joined
Aug 9, 2015
Messages
20,351
Location
Dust in the Wind
I have a Tads 3712 in my user. Better beam than the SureFire bulb too.

But at 2am I fail to notice the Mickey Mouse/purple haze beam when nature calls and a black dog is sprawled out on the floor between point a and b.
 

Kestrel

Flashaholic
Joined
Oct 31, 2007
Messages
7,355
Location
Willamette Valley, OR
OP, happy to have you on the site and also to hear your respect for such a classic light.
Have owned a number of SF's, but never the Aviator - partially because of the beam quality issues from the LED's.
And also because of my immense preference for 17670's when I really got into LiIon rechargeables.


I'm curious, did you follow the work of WQuiles and his regulated M6 battery pack offering a few years ago ?
Outstanding work in every respect, and perhaps the ultimate extension of the digital regulation concept that SF abandoned after their Aviator.

Best regards,

Edit: I have always been confused by the next-generation LED Aviator which changed from Throw/Flood to a Flood/Flood concept though ... :confused:
 
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Lumen83

Enlightened
Joined
Sep 21, 2017
Messages
551
Lumen83,
If you get one of the aftermarket "led rings" by Koala, you can plug in any 5mm led you wish, including the Yuji "high CRI" 5mm leds. While you are in the process of prepping the leds (trimming the leads, removing the flange), you can sand the leds with, for example, a thin grey Scotch 3M sanding sponge (fine grit), and you will have no artifacts or cloverleaf pattern. Calipsoi makes, or used to make, a led ring also.

Tad Customs makes a bulb adapter and sells the very economical bulbs to go with them, to replace the expensive/hard-to-find Surefire lamp assembly.

Does Koala still make those? If so, I would love that. I didn't think they were available anymore. Can I sand down the existing leds? Sorry if thats a dumb question. I've never opened it up beyond to replace the main bulb.
 

novice

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Apr 19, 2006
Messages
1,033
Does Koala still make those? If so, I would love that. I didn't think they were available anymore. Can I sand down the existing leds? Sorry if thats a dumb question. I've never opened it up beyond to replace the main bulb.

No, it's not a dumb question. It is possible to open up the head and sand the leds, but there are a couple of things to keep in mind: If your A2 ever stops working, and you were to send it back to Surefire for repair, I believe it is quite possible that they would look at sanded leds and consider that it voided the warranty. This is pure speculation on my part, but I think it is quite possible. Also, if the tiny soft brass screw-heads were marred or burred, it is probable that they would know that someone unauthorized "had been in there" and might very well consider the warranty void. The choice is yours, of course. I have the Koala ring in my A2 lights, and it is nice not having a cloverleaf pattern. When I removed the original stock led ring, I tried to be as careful with the screws as I could, and carefully stored the stock led rings in protective "Blistex" containers, with a tiny amount of foam, for the day I might have to replace them in the lights.

Koala sold one of his led rings as recently as last December. I think it is definitely worth a try to post a "Sent PM" on his sales thread, and then send him a message.
 
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novice

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Apr 19, 2006
Messages
1,033
Has anyone tried a rechargeable 16650 cell in the A2?

1. Does it fit, and if so, what brand? (I don't have any)

2. If a 16650 does fit, does it fully power either the Streamlight Strion or Stinger (yellower beam in this use, I know) bulb in Fivemega's bulb adapter, or the bulbs that Tad offers for use in his adapter?

I put 2x16340 in mine, and they are a medium-snug fit. I DO NOT RECOMMEND DOING THIS in your A2 unless you have a Koala's led ring in there. Some people have done this with their stock led ring, but the general consensus is that it overdrives the leds too hard, and Surefire warranty policy will not cover this kind of use of rechargeable Li-ion cells. The incan voltage regulation circuitry will step down this kind of voltage to a level that the incan bulb will handle. I have no experience with Calipsoi's ring.
 
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DayofReckoning

Enlightened
Joined
May 1, 2018
Messages
573
Location
USA
While I admit that the LED's are not that great, the important thing is that they do their job just fine. The beam pattern doesn't bother me as the LED's are meant for close up work, where it is unnoticeable. If it's a big deal to some, like others have suggested, they can be sanded down for a more smoother beam.
 

DayofReckoning

Enlightened
Joined
May 1, 2018
Messages
573
Location
USA
OP, happy to have you on the site and also to hear your respect for such a classic light.
Have owned a number of SF's, but never the Aviator - partially because of the beam quality issues from the LED's.
And also because of my immense preference for 17670's when I really got into LiIon rechargeables.


I'm curious, did you follow the work of WQuiles and his regulated M6 battery pack offering a few years ago ?
Outstanding work in every respect, and perhaps the ultimate extension of the digital regulation concept that SF abandoned after their Aviator.

Best regards,

Edit: I have always been confused by the next-generation LED Aviator which changed from Throw/Flood to a Flood/Flood concept though ... :confused:

Yes, now that you mention it, I do remember the
WQuiles
regulator for the M6, though I have never seen or owned one. Too bad they are no longer available.

I couldn't agree more with your thoughts on the A2L Aviator, not exactly a worthy successor to the A2 in my opinion.
 

DayofReckoning

Enlightened
Joined
May 1, 2018
Messages
573
Location
USA
The saddest part of the tale is that Surefire had a whole lineup of these regulated incandescent's in the works. So sad they never saw the light of day :(
 

xcel730

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 21, 2008
Messages
1,765
Location
NY
The A2 is still one of my favorite. I had two in the past (red and yellow/green bulbs). After awhile, they ended up in the collection drawer.

Recently, I picked up another A2 in the aftermarket with Koala onion ring with Yuji High CRI led. Combined that with Tad'a custom bi-pin, it become my favorite again. It's been in my EDC for the past month. Every time I use it, I grin a little. It's not the brightest nor smallest, but having the old school Incan with led is just plain enjoyable to use.
 

novice

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Apr 19, 2006
Messages
1,033
It doesn't seem that it would be that hard for someone skilled in the machinist arts to make a single-cell extension for the A2, making it an "A3". The tailcap end does not "separate" the cells the way that the E-series normally does. Using 2x16500 cells, the runtime would begin to be in the neighborhood of an A2 on primaries. Aesthetically, the lines would not exactly "flow", but that happens with legos sometimes.

I use AW IMR 16340 cells in my A2s. I don't have any 16500 cells, and have not tested the fit.
 
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