diff --git a/src/osgPlugins/flt/LightPointRecord.cpp b/src/osgPlugins/flt/LightPointRecord.cpp
index 0fdc5a894..c50b890a1 100644
--- a/src/osgPlugins/flt/LightPointRecord.cpp
+++ b/src/osgPlugins/flt/LightPointRecord.cpp
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #include "flt.h"
 #include "Registry.h"
 #include "LightPointRecord.h"
+#include <osg/Notify>
 
 using namespace flt;
 
@@ -24,45 +25,64 @@ LightPointRecord::~LightPointRecord()
 {
 }
 
+SLightPoint* LightPointRecord::getData() const
+{
+    if (LightPointRecord::getFlightVersion()>1551)
+    {
+        return (SLightPoint*)_pData;
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        // disable ligth point for older versions since they don't have
+        // the same format as SLightPoint, this needs fixing but this will have
+        // to wait till after OSG 1.0.  
+        // Robert Osfield, 18th November 2005.
+        return 0;
+    }
+}
+
 
 void LightPointRecord::endian()
 {
     SLightPoint *pSLightPoint = (SLightPoint*)getData();
+    if (pSLightPoint)
+    {
+        ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->iMaterial );
+        ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->iFeature );
+        ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->diMode );
+        ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfIntensityFront );
+        ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfIntensityBack );
+        ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfMinDefocus );
+        ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfMaxDefocus );
+        ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->diFadeMode );
+        ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->diFogPunchMode );
+        ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->diDirectionalMode );
+        ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->diRangeMode );
+        ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfMinPixelSize );
+        ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfMaxPixelSize );
+        ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->afActualPixelSize );
+        ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfTranspFalloff );
+        ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfTranspFalloffExponent );
+        ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfTranspFalloffScalar );
+        ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfTranspFalloffClamp );
+        ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfFog );
+        ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfReserved );
+        ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfSize );
+        ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->diDirection );
+        ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfLobeHoriz );
+        ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfLobeVert );
+        ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfLobeRoll );
+        ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfFalloff );
+        ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfAmbientIntensity );
+        ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfAnimPeriod );
+        ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfAnimPhaseDelay );
+        ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfAnimPeriodEnable );
+        ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfSignificance );
+        ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfDrawOrder );
+        ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfFlags );
+        pSLightPoint->animRot.endian();
+    }
 
-    ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->iMaterial );
-    ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->iFeature );
-    ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->diMode );
-    ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfIntensityFront );
-    ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfIntensityBack );
-    ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfMinDefocus );
-    ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfMaxDefocus );
-    ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->diFadeMode );
-    ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->diFogPunchMode );
-    ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->diDirectionalMode );
-    ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->diRangeMode );
-    ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfMinPixelSize );
-    ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfMaxPixelSize );
-    ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->afActualPixelSize );
-    ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfTranspFalloff );
-    ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfTranspFalloffExponent );
-    ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfTranspFalloffScalar );
-    ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfTranspFalloffClamp );
-    ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfFog );
-    ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfReserved );
-    ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfSize );
-    ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->diDirection );
-    ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfLobeHoriz );
-    ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfLobeVert );
-    ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfLobeRoll );
-    ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfFalloff );
-    ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfAmbientIntensity );
-    ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfAnimPeriod );
-    ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfAnimPhaseDelay );
-    ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfAnimPeriodEnable );
-    ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfSignificance );
-    ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfDrawOrder );
-    ENDIAN( pSLightPoint->sfFlags );
-    pSLightPoint->animRot.endian();
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/osgPlugins/flt/LightPointRecord.h b/src/osgPlugins/flt/LightPointRecord.h
index c0db0bf42..4f5b42890 100644
--- a/src/osgPlugins/flt/LightPointRecord.h
+++ b/src/osgPlugins/flt/LightPointRecord.h
@@ -117,8 +117,8 @@ class LightPointRecord : public PrimNodeRecord
         virtual void accept(RecordVisitor& rv) { rv.apply(*this); }
 //      virtual void traverse(RecordVisitor& rv);
 
-        virtual SLightPoint* getData() const { return (SLightPoint*)_pData; }
-
+        virtual SLightPoint* getData() const;
+        
     protected:
         virtual ~LightPointRecord();
 
diff --git a/src/osgPlugins/flt/flt2osg.cpp b/src/osgPlugins/flt/flt2osg.cpp
index 563e164fa..867d077b2 100644
--- a/src/osgPlugins/flt/flt2osg.cpp
+++ b/src/osgPlugins/flt/flt2osg.cpp
@@ -2716,9 +2716,11 @@ osg::Group* ConvertFromFLT::visitExternal(osg::Group& osgParent, ExternalRecord*
 
 void ConvertFromFLT::visitLightPoint(GeoSetBuilder* pBuilder,osg::Group& osgParent, LightPointRecord* rec)
 {
+    SLightPoint *pSLightPoint = (SLightPoint*)rec->getData();
+    if (!pSLightPoint) return;
+
     DynGeoSet* dgset = pBuilder->getDynGeoSet();
     osg::StateSet* stateSet = dgset->getStateSet();
-    SLightPoint *pSLightPoint = (SLightPoint*)rec->getData();
 
     dgset->setPrimType(osg::PrimitiveSet::POINTS);
     stateSet->setMode(GL_LIGHTING, osg::StateAttribute::OFF);
@@ -2759,6 +2761,7 @@ void ConvertFromFLT::visitLightPoint(GeoSetBuilder* pBuilder,osg::Group& osgPare
 void ConvertFromFLT::visitLightPoint(osg::Group& osgParent, LightPointRecord* rec)
 {
     SLightPoint *pSLightPoint = (SLightPoint*)rec->getData();
+    if (!pSLightPoint) return;
 
     GeoSetBuilder pBuilder;
     DynGeoSet* dgset = pBuilder.getDynGeoSet();