Aircraft Beacon Requirements

If you are approved for launch, it may be helpful to use the Appropriate Light, Camera, Action checklist so you don`t forget to turn on the appropriate [Lights] and transponder [Camera] before starting [Action]. Although it is a useful memory tool, what does “lights” mean? It`s not like turning a car`s headlights on and off. There are several types of lights that have different requirements for each day and night. All aircraft shall be equipped with an approved anti-collision lamp and a position lighting system for night operations. The position lights consist of an Aviation red on the left, an Aviation green on the right and a white Aviation Tailight (ref. FAR23.1389) and are required in accordance with FAR 91.205(c). There are different requirements that affect different aircraft. These aircraft are classified according to the date of application for type certification. Self-built aircraft are determined by the date of publication of the experimental operating restrictions. And there are many more different categories.

There are also many types of light installation. One can have a combination of wing tip, fuselage or vertical slat position for lightweight installation. In flight, you can see the red and green navigation lights, but it is very difficult to see the red beacon or white light at the back of the plane. Similarly, with commercial aircraft and fighter jets, it is very difficult to see the queue at night. One would think that manufacturers would have already noticed the slight installation error. Because do the engineers who developed this placement of reversing lights care, or do they even fly at night? (a) Engines in operation. Turn on the rotary beacon when an engine is running. That, and it`s beautiful marketing to see all the planes of your company sitting side by side at their doors, the tails all lit and pretty! The FAA has implemented a voluntary pilot safety program, Operation Lights On, to improve the concept of seeing and avoiding. Pilots are encouraged to turn on their landing lights during take-off; that is, either after receiving the boot version or at the beginning of the boot role. Pilots are also encouraged to turn on their landing lights when working at less than 10,000 feet day or night, especially if they work within 10 miles of an airport or in conditions of limited visibility and in areas where flocks of birds are to be expected, i.e. coastal areas, maritime areas, around landfills, etc.

While turning on airplane lights improves the concept of seeing and avoiding, pilots shouldn`t become complacent when it comes to looking for other planes. Not all aircraft are equipped with lights and some pilots may not have their lights on. The recommendations of the aircraft manufacturer for the operation of landing lights and electrical systems must be respected. If your aircraft`s collision lights contain both a red beacon and white strobe lights, can you work in VFR daytime conditions, with only one of them operating while the other is out of service? The short answer is no, unless it is approved by a waiver. It is not enough to place the equipment unusable. In addition to the red, green and white position lights (red to port, green to starboard and white to rear), the regulations require a collision warning light for aircraft flying at night. This can be white or red and can be either a mechanically rotating beacon or a flashing strobe. Note: If you have an aircraft certified in accordance with 3.11.96, it must be equipped with a red or white collision lighting system. It can be a beacon on the back or flashing white strobes on the ends of the wings. Strobe lights are pretty easy to replace, which is good because they have a tough life just like airplane tires. Each time the light flashes, traces of carbon settle inside the tubes, reducing their brightness over time.

(Every 1,000 hours, but not every 10 hours.) Aside from the safety benefits, the irony is that pulsed lighting systems that never turn off completely, instead, they fade to a low intensity of about 30% – extend the life of the bulbs themselves. g. When entering the runway for take-off or to “install and wait”, all lights, with the exception of landing lights, must be switched on to make the aircraft visible to ATC and other approaching aircraft. The landing lights shall be switched on when the take-off authorization is received or when the take-off roller starts in an airport without an operations control tower. In aviation, the most important safety guideline is to see and be seen – and the best way to do that is to turn on. Compared to all other parts of an airplane, lights are a cost-effective protection. They shall indicate the relative position of the other aircraft and their movement. If you add sensing lighting to an airplane, pulsed lights, and strobe lights that actually flash, you`ll be hard to miss. However, airplane lights can mix with city lights, runway lighting, or stars — and not all airplanes have lights on.

FAR 91.205 (b)(11) Instrument and equipment requirements, dayFor small civil aircraft certified in accordance with Part 23 of this chapter after 11 March 1996, an approved anti-collision light system for red or white aviation aviation. In the event of a failure of a light in the collision lighting system, the operation of the aircraft may continue in a location where repairs or replacements can be carried out. When it comes to aircraft lighting, the more is always better. Although the regulations allow for flexibility as to when pilots are allowed to turn off and on the various lights, some lights must be switched on at all times. For example, the beacon should always be operated when the engine is running. Strobes are a bit more complex. The FAA says pilots are allowed to disable them if they believe they pose a visual hazard. And when the sun goes down, it`s time to turn on those position lights. The same goes for all other lighting. For collision lights, the rules require an effective flash frequency of between 40 and 100 per minute (although it can go up to 180 per minute for flashes that overlap when there is more than one light). When it comes to regulations that cover how radiant your presence should be, here`s something interesting. Did you know that for most of us, regulations don`t require landing lights? Look at Federal Aviation Regulations 91.209, which make no mention of a landing light.

However, you will see it mentioned in 91,205 (c). These are the night VFR instrument and equipment requirements for civil powered aircraft with standard certificates of airworthiness, but the landing light is only required for leased aircraft. There is no published requirement for rotating beacons that I could find in the regulation. However, AIM 4-3-23 on the use of aircraft lights (see below) suggests using the rotary light when the aircraft is in service. From a practical point of view, the smartest thing to do is to always turn on your beacon so that people on the ground know that the plane is on its way (if they can`t hear you) or that the engine needs to be started. “First of all, it seems that the strobe light and the rotary beacon are part of the same anti-collision system. The airworthiness standard, which regulates the need for an aircraft to be equipped with a collision lighting system, 14 C.F.R.23.1401(a)(1), states that “the aircraft shall be equipped with an anti-collision system that […] consists of one or more approved collision lamps… Since both the strobe light and the rotary beacon are anti-collision lights approved in accordance with Standard 23.1401 (a) (1), they are part of the same anti-collision system. Neither the letter to the Office of the Chief Counsel requesting interpretation, nor the interpretation itself, addresses the possibility of removing non-functional equipment. Removal is an acceptable method of handling non-functional equipment under section 91.213(d)(3)(i) as long as the conditions of section 91.213(d)(1) and § 91.213(d)(2) are met (these relate to the type of aircraft and if the equipment is required by certain regulations or documents). However, it is also necessary to consider the potential to negatively affect safety by removing part of an anti-collision lighting system. The opt-out option must not comply with section 91.213(d)(4), which requires that it be determined that the removal or deactivation of non-operational equipment does not constitute a “danger to the aircraft”. It`s a good idea to pre-fly aircraft lighting, whether you`re flying day or night.

Turn on the main switch, turn on all the external lights and take a short walk to make sure everything is working. If something is not enlightening, you need to make a decision. Can most planes fly without certain lights? Sure. Landing lights are not necessary, but they are a good idea. The beacon, strobes and position lights are another story. During the day, position lights are not necessary, but what if you have to wait somewhere for the weather and come back at night? Now you are rooted forever. In most cases, the beacon is a required device that must be repaired before each flight. Strobes and beacons are considered anti-collision lights.

To make sure I`ve correctly completed my “Light, Camera, Action” checklist, I`ve done additional research on the specific requirements for each light on the aircraft to create a useful overview below. If you want the FAA`s literal regulations, these are at the bottom of the scale.