I am going to mount a "be seen" light on my cabane vee as a minor alteration. I'd like to put a police LED light bar with red, white and blue flashing lights there. Would I be breaking any FAA rules by doing the red, white and blue ILO of just a blinking or steady white light like a lot of the planes now have? If so, what rules?
Red, whit ena dlbue flashing lights
- Thread starter The Kid
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skywagon8a
MEMBER
SE Mass MA6
Pick a light.
The FAA rules are minimum lighting for a purpose with the idea of being seen.
The FAA rules are minimum lighting for a purpose with the idea of being seen.
The only rule I can think of without research would be don't draw unnecessary attention to yourself/plane:lol:. It seems someone is always wanting to get their panties in a wad over something and that would fit the bill. A few of my friends have the digital flashing position lights and strobes, you can see them from miles away. Putting a wig wag flasher on the landing/taxi lights works great also.
DENNY
DENNY
wireweinie
FOUNDER
Palmer, AK
There is some science behind 'anti collision' or 'recognition' lights. Mainly, a light in motion is easier for the human eye to find than a stationary light. Therefore a flashing light is easier to find/focus on than a steady light. Next, there is a limit (distance wise) for colors of light to be perceived by the eye. Colors considered 'bright' are normally easier to see from a great distance. That's why safety gear is usually colored bright yellow, white, orange, etc. An opposite example is light used for reading maps at night. I'm old, so we used red lenses. Nowdays they use that blue/green shade. But both were used for the same reason. That particular color is difficult to see at a distance. The engineer types, here, can give you the whys and hows.
Ignoring any legalities, I'd recommend some type of flashing white light for anti collision use. And if you think about it, flashing strobes and wig-wag landing/taxi lights are the main types used on small aircraft now.
Web
Ignoring any legalities, I'd recommend some type of flashing white light for anti collision use. And if you think about it, flashing strobes and wig-wag landing/taxi lights are the main types used on small aircraft now.
Web
I just looked in the AIM and saw nothing about what color of lights you can't have. I just want to be "seen", especially in public non towered airports, which are the airports I fly. And because the FAA doesn't require you to have a radio or even use it if you have one, which doubles your other aircraft perception abilities, being "seen" is even more paramount.
wireweinie
FOUNDER
Palmer, AK
As for the color of lights, you need to read CAR 3, FAR 23, and FAR 91.
Web
Web
Aviation red and aviation white are ok for anti collision lights. There are pretty specific color requirements based on the Certification basis for the airplane as a web pointed out.
There is nothing in 14 CFR about blue lights, but as someone above stated, there may be local/state laws that prevent blue lights on vehicles of any kind.
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There is nothing in 14 CFR about blue lights, but as someone above stated, there may be local/state laws that prevent blue lights on vehicles of any kind.
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RVBottomly
PATRON
Asotin County Washington (KLWS)
The original question reminded me of this:
What a "light job" on that bad boy. That's what I'd like but my alternator won't handle all that. Why would anyone "care" if, daytime, you had pink lights or whatever you thought would get you noticed. Aviation is so "locked in the past" that it's thwarting our progressing to "better".
wireweinie
FOUNDER
Palmer, AK
Has nothing to do with being 'locked in'. A flashing white light will be noticed from a longer distance than other colors.
If you are interested in using lights like in the video, stay with LED's. All those lights will probably pull 5 amps or less.
Web
skywagon8a
MEMBER
SE Mass MA6
As long as the FO part is recognized, no one will hit it.
wireweinie
FOUNDER
Palmer, AK
Eddie Foy
MEMBER
South Florida
Kinda like this?
https://youtu.be/-nxIUP5il1M
https://youtu.be/-nxIUP5il1M
The stats say that 4 out of 5 "midairs" happen from behind. So why not get these lights, mounted in the cabane vee, to flash red and blue and maybe white FRONT AND BACK (like top mounted on police cars) and I think they could be seen from the rear level and rear lower as doesn't the tail fly high and thusly exposing the cabane vee from the rear? And don't forget about drone traffic, a threat we haven't had before and will only increase dramatically, as seeing us better too. And, I hadn't thought of that, but we'd give the UFO aficionados some more fodder for their cannons? I think it's a win win " go for it", even though it might expedite my getting committed to a psycho ward.
RVBottomly
PATRON
Asotin County Washington (KLWS)
I've got the drawings. It shows an old style system with a generator and 35A fuse in the generator circuit. Master has 50 A going to bus bar, but that's because the starter draws from that.
The light circuit is left blank, but 20 amps sounds pretty high for your lights--won't have much for anything else.
I'm sure that Wagabond in the video is using LEDs.
wireweinie
FOUNDER
Palmer, AK
As stated above, with a small aircraft and the number of lights you seem to want, don't bother with anything other than LED's.
Do the math.
Web
Do the math.
Web
skywagon8a
MEMBER
SE Mass MA6
Look here for light choices in LED. https://www.superbrightleds.com/ You will be amazed at how much you can get for so little current draw.
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