rotating beacon placement ? where / how

[fairchild1934]

since I am building the rudder now--- what is everybody doing for a beacon mounting point ?

are you putting it at the top in line with the rudder post ? what footprint is considered a standard now ?
The old piper style-- you have to cut a section of the tubing the tubing out and graft it in..... I would rather just have some kind of round platform maybe ?
and not have to cut the tubing out. (that relies on the mechanical strength of the bracket to replace the missing tubing...... )

If I am going to add one- I need to make holes in the rudder ribs (with grommets) to run the wire through too ---

Tim

[jaredyates]

I put the lights all in the wingtips. Works great.

[alaskabearhawk]

How I did mine. It was easy and I really like how it turned out…small and compact:

http://www.mykitlog.com/users/display_log.php?user=yeeeha&project=527&category=0&log=283204&row=621

http://www.mykitlog.com/users/display_log.php?user=yeeeha&project=527&category=0&log=283205&row=620

[Nev]

Although I didn't end up installing a beacon, I did add a flat aluminium plate between stringers, just behind the skylight for this purpose in case I changed my mind. It would have given a relatively short cable cable run, a sold mounting platform, and been visible from most angles. It had reasonable access for maintenance as well. At the time I was thinking of some sort of combined light installation that had a flashing red LED to the rear, with white strobes on the sides, perhaps a non-certified version of the more expensive 71080 series.

[fairchild1934]

ABA------ how did the fabric behave in the area immediately under the round mounting disk ? Did you wish for some type of sheet metal swoop under it to give the fabric a transition shape ? (didn't see a close up of it post-fabric on the log.)
or like maybe an inch long skirt under it out of 3003 . ?

[alaskabearhawk]

It was a total non-issue. A little chafe tape along the bottom edge of the mount and the fabric shrunk down just fine. I checked my pictures and these are the only ones I could find that showed the rudder fabric. If I didn't take a bunch of pictures of the area, there probably wasn't an issue!

20210121_02.jpg 20210505_211948.jpg 20211118_225904.jpg

[fairchild1934]

do you remember where you got the rear light socket ? Was it from the place in Colorado that sells the piper parts ? or AS ?

That does look like it did fine around the mount.

I see there is a non-certified led light that's a little over an inch in diameter I may try-----
Tim

[alaskabearhawk]

It was a standard weld-on socket that I modified so the Whelen LED would fit:

http://www.mykitlog.com/users/display_log.php?user=yeeeha&project=527&category=7 248&log=244152&row=29

http://www.mykitlog.com/users/display_log.php?user=yeeeha&project=527&category=7 248&log=244153&row=28

Univair sells them:

https://www.univair.com/electrical-lighting/view-all/0400-113-taylorcraft-piper-model-s-tail-light-bracket/

[fairchild1934]

couldn't think of Univair's name ---- have to order one of those tomorrow.