Lights

[SC Patrol 253]

What are the minimum required lights for an experimental operated day vfr? Im finding different answers. Thanks for your help.


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[Bdflies]

Well, I've got a little time in a J-3 with no electrical system. That one has no lights at all.
No matter the legality, I'd really want strobes, for recognition.

Bill

[jaredyates]

14 CFR 91.209 says that no person may:
(b) Operate an aircraft that is equipped with an anticollision light system, unless it has lighted anticollision lights. However, the anticollision lights need not be lighted when the pilot-in-command determines that, because of operating conditions, it would be in the interest of safety to turn the lights off.

In other words, if you have an anticollision light, you must use it unless the PIC thinks it is safer to turn it off.

Section (a) pertains to operations in low ambient light, such as at night.

[jaredyates]

91.205 requires an anti-collision light for part 23 airplanes made after the 1996 deadline, but we are not operating part 23 airplanes. My operating limitations do not seem to require 91.205 requirements for lights under day vfr, but operating limitations are going to vary from one plane to the next.

[whee]

91.205 requires an anti-collision light for part 23 airplanes made after the 1996 deadline, but we are not operating part 23 airplanes. My operating limitations do not seem to require 91.205 requirements for lights under day vfr, but operating limitations are going to vary from one plane to the next.

I think Jared nailed it here. But even if the operating limitations required 91.205 we still wouldn't need to comply with 91.205(11) because we aren't operating part 23 airplanes. That's how I read it.

Aside from what is required, if I were building a day vfr airplane that had an electrical system I would go ahead and install position/strobe lights. They don't weight much and if you're ever caught trying to get to your destination with the sun going down you can flip on the lights and be legal. These are the lights I plan to install, they weigh almost nothing: http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...powerburst.php

14 CFR 91.209 says that no person may:
(b) Operate an aircraft that is equipped with an anticollision light system, unless it has lighted anticollision lights. However, the anticollision lights need not be lighted when the pilot-in-command determines that, because of operating conditions, it would be in the interest of safety to turn the lights off.

In other words, if you have an anticollision light, you must use it unless the PIC thinks it is safer to turn it off.

Section (a) pertains to operations in low ambient light, such as at night.

Interesting. I never run my strobe lights when flying day VFR and I've seen very few that do. I'll have to ask the CFI at my next BFR about this; the reg seems pretty clear.

[jaredyates]

Interesting. I never run my strobe lights when flying day VFR and I've seen very few that do. I'll have to ask the CFI at my next BFR about this; the reg seems pretty clear.

Why ask your CFI, you can be the one to tell him/her.

[SC Patrol 253]

Thanks guys. The powerburst lights look like a good plan.

[JimParker256]

There was an FAA legal opinion document (I'll have to research and find it again) that stated that on aircraft that have 3-position strobe lights, you do NOT have to have both strobes and anti-collision lights. Either is sufficient to meet the 91.209(b) rule. I was checking into this because I was away from home, and my anti-collision light (which just happened to be a strobe) was discovered INOP during post-flight, and I was trying to determine whether I was legal to fly it home with the 3-position strobes only. According to that FAA legal opinion, I was indeed legal to fly with EITHER system operating, and did NOT have to wait for repairs. I'll find the FAA letter and edit this to post the link.

Good reason to have BOTH position strobes AND "anti-collision" stobe(s) on your plane! Of course, with LED lights, the "burned-out bulb" is far less common...

Here's the link to the FAA "Murphy Letter" and another the the AOPA "Pilot Counsel" article that explains it further, and a later follow-up AOPA "Pilot Counsel" article on the same topic. In a nutshell, if you have both strobes and anti-collision lights, both are required to be "on" unless the PIC determines that they should be off for safety reasons. Since it would be legal to fly with either, and since having a potentially shorted anti-collision light (who knows why it's INOP until you investigate, right?), the PIC (me, in this case) determined it was better for safety to turn off the one, and operate only the other for this flight.

PS - I ALWAYS keep every possible light turned on during the daytime, for optimal "see-and-be-seen" recognition. Strobes, flashers, and pulsing landing lights will be turned ON whenever I'm flying my Patrol, so it will be equipped for both day and night VFR as well.

[BTAZ]

While doing some research, I was surprised to see that there has been considerable testing that shows strobe lights are pretty ineffective during the day.

See section 2.8 of this(the rest is pretty interesting as well)

http://www.skybrary.aero/bookshelf/books/259.pdf

and another excerpt from an informative post

"The following US military trials are outlined in a US Air Force report (Schmidlapp 1977):

In 1958 the USAF Air Training Command conducted flight tests to compare strobe anticollision lights with rotating beacons. It was concluded that in daylight conditions, no lighting system could be expected to prevent collisions.
Further tests in 1958 at the USAF Wright-Patterson Base again found that strobe lights were ineffective in daylight.
A major US Army study was conducted in 1970 in which observers on a hilltop were required to sight approaching helicopters equipped either with strobes of 1800, 2300 or 3300 effective candela or a standard red rotating beacon. It was found that none of the lights were effective against a background of daytime sky, however strobes were helpful when the aircraft was viewed against the ground.
USAF tests in 1976 found extremely poor performance of strobe lights on aircraft. In all cases, the aircraft was sighted before the strobe. In addition, it was found that after two years service on aircraft, strobe lights were about half as intense as expected.
Extensive trials in 1977 by the US Air Force Aeronautical Systems Division used strobes fitted on a tower and observers at various distances and viewing angles. The results indicated that in daylight, even a strobe of 36000 candelas was not particularly conspicuous. However, strobes were more visible when the background illumination was less than 30 candelas per square metre, equivalent to a very dark day.
FAA studies have also concluded that there is no support for the use of strobes in daylight. A 1989 FAA study of the effectiveness of see-and-avoid concluded that aircraft colours or lights played no significant role in first directing a pilot’s attention to the other aircraft during daytime (Graham 1989).
An earlier FAA study considered that there was ‘little hope that lights can be made bright enough to be of any practical value in daylight’ (Rowland and Silver 1972). A major FAA review of the aircraft exterior lighting literature concluded that during daytime, the brightest practical light is less conspicuous than the aircraft, unless there is low luminescence of background. (Burnstein and Fisher 1977).

In conclusion, while strobes are not likely to be helpful against bright sky backgrounds, they may make aircraft more visible against terrain or in conditions of low light."

[Flygirl1]

The spruce catalog has a page with information on what your lights need to do around your whole airplane for visibility. We have made our own lights with led's bought from various places with position, strobes and wig wag landing in the front wingtip and constructed an area in the center of the trailing edge of the
wing tip for another strobe and white position light. We do not fly a lot at night, but being highly visible is really important when flying in congested airspace. Especially like at any flyin at Johnson Creek. We know Dan Sprague, who had a twin land on him there and he will tell you the same thing--see and be seen. D.

[nichzimmerman]

We have made our own lights with led's bought from various places with position, strobes and wig wag

Sounds like a newsletter writeup is in order! Or at least some pictures, diagrams, parts list... You guys are very innovative.

[Bcone1381]

I was checking into this because I was away from home, and my anti-collision light (which just happened to be a strobe) was discovered INOP during post-flight, and I was trying to determine whether I was legal to fly it home with the 3-position strobes only. According to that FAA legal opinion, I was indeed legal to fly with EITHER system operating, and did NOT have to wait for repairs. I'll find the FAA letter and edit this to post the link.

Good reason to have BOTH position strobes AND "anti-collision" stobe(s) on your plane!

Help me plan my exterior aircraft lighting, and understand the regulations that govern operations after its completed.

My desire is to install only Wing Tip Strobes and Nav Lights) I don't plane to install a red rotating beacon. I am equipping it to occasionally fly legally after sunset or before sunrise if everything is operating properly. I think these meet FAR 91.209 for the minimum lights for night time operations.

I understand my strobes must generally be turned on in daytime. I need some help understanding how FAR's apply these days in the General Aviation arena if they become inoperative during the day time?

Jim's answer leads me to believe I cannot operated daytime with my strobes inoperative, but I would be allowed me to fly if I chose not to ever installed them. Thats a huge penalty for installing a safety device that would drive decisions I make building my aircraft.

That does not seem logical to met. So, I did some research, and stumble upon FARs that govern inoperative equipment. Reading them, I drew a different conclusion than what I think Jim drew. But, I have been removed from General Aviation arena long enough that I am unsure of my conclusions.

SO, I will claim that I can Fly my planned aircraft during the day with the Wing Tip Strobes inoperative using the inoperative instruments and equipment laws governed under FAR 91.213

I think I can fly during the day with my strobes inoperative ....

91.213 (d.1.i) because I am a light piston aircraft,
91.213 (d.2.i) and because its an experimental aircraft and not a type certificated aircraft.
91.213 (d.2.iii) and because its a day VFR operation, and we are experimental, not certificate under part 23, and strobe lights are not required for that operation.

Please find fault in my claim if you find any.

[Flygirl1]

Sounds like a newsletter writeup is in order! Or at least some pictures, diagrams, parts list... You guys are very innovative.

We found most theLED's if not all of them on superbriteleds.com and maybe a couple on extreme dynamics. As far as "innovative", it's out of necessity due to budget. We took full advantage of the "experimental category" and had fun imagineering things, as I like to call it. ;-) As far as these lights, I like it way better than putting a flat spot on the wingtip, which may be necessary for most wing tip strobes. Not sure which would take longer, our way or that way. The rear lens was done with some cold bendable lexan from our local plastic shop and the front lens was from the Vans RV lens. Lots of fitting to do there!! I will try to load photo's. Having lots of trouble doing that and the old computer is also giving me a hard time. Part of a parts list is--11156-G30-WV: 1156 green 100 degree, 1156-R30-WV: 1156 Red 100 degree BA15s-SW 1156 socket, WLED-W19-T white. That is all I could find for a list. All of those I believe go up front in the tip. More photo's to come. D. Also we found some rear view mirror sheets that you cut to replace a broken mirror and fit them all around inside the light area's, wing tip and trailing lights for added visability.

[Flygirl1]

More photo's of the inner workings. D.