SureFire Torches and Flashlights

Flying While Blind

While flying back one night from Little Rock, Arkansas, all the lights went out in the aircraft including my landing light. I was about one hour outside of my home base. I used my C2 Centurion with a red filter - so as not to degrade my night vision - to read my airspeed indicator, directional gyro, tachometer and attitude indicator. During this time the air traffic controller informed me that, while they had me on radar, they were unable to establish visual contact. As I lined up for approach I removed the red filter and began flashing my SureFire at the tower until they saw me. I was also able to use the C2 as my landing light, which is a great help on a moonless night! Thank you for building such reliable and bright lights. From now on I never leave for a flight without making sure I have my SureFire with me.

- Kristopher A., Norman OK

Graveyard Airline Mechanic

I'm an A&P mechanic. I work graveyard for a major airline, working on big jets in all types of weather. I have the SureFire 9AN because of the quality of light it puts out and because it offers a low-beam and a high-beam in a compact package. I like the light output of SureFire flashlights because the beam is flawless and bright as a floodlight. Other brands of rechargeable flashlight have rings, and shadows in their beams.

SureFire is pre-focused, has no shadows or rings, and gives off a pure white light. When I use my 9AN Commander, I do not have to point my light at individual items. I just turn it on, aim it at the direction I'm looking, and EVERYTHING gets lit up. My 9AN blows other people away, especially when they paid a lot of money and thought they were getting the best, until I show them better!

Jacksonville Control reported icing at 6000 ft.

After Christmas I got a SureFire Executive Elite E2e light. I love it! It is brighter than any other light I have and small enough to put in my pocket. One time my father and me were flying when Jacksonville Control reported icing at 6000 ft. We were flying at 5000 ft. We got a little worried but with my SureFire I was able to look out on the wing and watch for ice.

I don't know what I would have done without it. We ended up getting to our destination, Fort Pierce, FL, and landing safely. My dad was so impressed that he is going to get himself one.

Thanks SureFire.

Kenneth S.

Part of my job is to perform FOD checks

I work on the Lockheed-Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon production line in Fort Worth, Texas. I am an aircraft assembler assigned to the Final Assembly area, where all the parts come together to make the F-16. Part of my job is to perform FOD (Foreign Object Debris) checks in all parts of the aircraft before soon-to-be-inaccessible areas are permanently sealed prior to the aircraft being powered up for the first time. This requires extended use of flashlights as inspection illumination tools and I use a SureFire Rechargeable as my everyday final inspection light. It absolutely blows away the company-provided three D-cell flashlights in light output, ease of use, size, and weight. I am able to fit the SureFire into places I could never fit a conventional flashlight, and the light output is so superior that I am able to accomplish twice the work in half the time. My confidence in my inspection abilities is better because the light output is greater and the beam's focus is much better, allowing me to more positively and quickly identify potential problems.

I would not be able to perform my inspections nearly as well without my SureFire flashlight.

Steven R., Lewisville, Texas

Military Tough

I am a military helicopter pilot and the one piece of gear I rely on more than any other is my SureFire M2 Centurion. It's brighter, more reliable and much more durable than anything we are issued. While conducting flight inspections I've dropped my light over 20' from the top of aircraft onto a steel flight deck without as much as a flicker. The shock-isolated bezel works as advertised and the tip-off red filter is easy on/off for white light restrictions at night. I can think of no greater testimony to the quality of your lights than their performance in the harsh environment we work in: salt air, extreme temperature fluctuations and punishing helicopter vibrations. I have a few SureFire lights now because I like them so much. I really don't need them though - my original just won't die! Keep up the great work.

-Scott S., San Diego, CA

Revolution In Progress

My job as an Aircraft Structural mechanic is to inspect critical structures on our KC-135 refueler aircraft. This requires me to crawl into the deepest recesses of our birds. We HAD been using Maglights® in various sizes to do our job, now we use the SureFire E2e Executive Elite. I purchased one for each of our structures mechanics. It was literally like dragging sunlight with us wherever we need it. When you make your living with a light and an inspection mirror you need all the light you can get. It has the same light output as our "jet light" which is the standard corded light used to work with. All I can say is INCREDIBLE! Everyone wants to know what this little beast is and where can THEY get one. I think we started a revolution.

- A. Schwartz, 161st Air Refueling Wing, Phoenix, AZ

Military Charter

As an airline pilot flying the 747-200F, I find myself in some desolate and remote areas that never offer much lighting. This was recently the case when I was assigned a military charter to Bishket, Kyrgyzstan. We arrived there as the sun was going down and by the time the offload started it was pitch black - this is an old soviet military field and almost nothing worked. The only ambient light was from the interior of the plane and the slit lights on the military K-loaders. Luckily, my flight engineer and I both had SureFire flashlights. I have the G2 Nitrolon and the engineer had the C2 Centurion. Those lights did a lot of work that night, everything from helping to position the k-loaders and fuel truck, to inspecting the aircraft from the gear to the six story high tail. These lights never fail. I know that after that night several people were sold on the SureFire lights and will be owners in the near future. Thanks for a great product.

- Anthony B., Kingwood, TX

A Pilot’s Best Friend

I have had a SureFire for about a year and a half. I fly the Boeing 767 as a first officer--being the number one means most days I do the exterior pre-flights--and at night or in bad weather I do ALL of the exterior preflights. The 767 is pretty tall and the other lights I have used really only pay lip service to checking the upper reaches of the tail and rudder surfaces. With my SureFire it's never a problem. I can really light up the inside of those engine inlets too. A greasy wheel well absorbs most of the light and it can get tough to see in there without a very bright light. My old triple D-cell cop light didn't really do it there either. It is a little too bright for use in the cockpit unless I lose something in the nooks and crannies, so I put a red beamfilter on the light and it works great. The most comforting feeling I have from this light is at the layover hotels. If I have to evacuate for a fire or power loss, I know I am going to be able to crawl out of there and/or get a rescuer's attention. We all know from either experience or the movies that a Carrier Flight Deck is a dangerous place to walk. A commercial ramp area is sometimes worse; there are untrained people driving big machinery around the jets with bags, fuel, food, Blue water, mail, and more. My light lets me be seen. I give them a little flash in their rear view mirrors when I walk behind them. I bought this light for home defense, to put in my gun vault next to my pistol, but I had to get a second one for that. The first one is now in my flight kit 24/7.

- D. Kowalski, 767 First Officer