Moving navigation/strobe lights

[rjhecker]

Good morning, I am building a RV-10 and thinking about moving the navigation and strobe lights to the wing tips and having the taxi/landing lights on the leading edges. I am looking for any advice from those that might have already done this mod or more importantly reasons why I would want to stay away from this change to the plans.

The wingtip fairing would be smoothed out up front (where the existing lights go) using a clear lens as the mold. For the nav/storbe light, a flat platform would be built on the lateral portion of the fairing or cut into the fairing to create the flat area to mount the lights.

Many thanks in advance
Robert

[terrykohler]

I believe the red and green "position" lights must be visible from dead ahead to 22.5 degrees aft of a line perpendicular to the C/L of the aircraft. Brightness is also called out by standard/regulation, if you're looking to put together your own system.
Terry, CFI
RV9A N323TP

[BobTurner]

Many people have put landing/taxi lights in the wing leading edge. Vans lights are small, and imho adequate but barely.
As to moving nav/strobes to extend beyond the wingtips:
+ If positioned correctly you can eliminate the tail strobe and still be night-legal
+ If you include a combo red (or green) - white fixture you can eliminate all lights on the bottom of the rudder.
- You will lose 1/4 KIAS
- When you screw up pushing the plane into a hangar, you'll have an expensive repair, vs a simple fiberglass fix.

[rjhecker]

- I'm thinking it should be easy getting those angles needed to make the plane
legit for night flight.

- Good pros and cons, i wonder if I'll get back that 1/4 KIAS with the reduction
on weight not needing off those tail lights

[aerhed]

I know that if you have two equal lights, one in the tip and one in the root, the inboard light will seem better.

[9GT]

I put Whelen A600 lights on the wing tips of my RV-10. A little micro/flow build up for a flat surface to mount them on and a little sanding and shaping. Looked great. I didn't move the per plans taxi/landing light location but it would be an easy mod project to close up the openings and move them inboard.

[Paul from Flyleds]

Hi Robert

I have a shameless plug for my products for you!
At only 7oz/200grams per wing, and 2oz/55 grams for a tail light, there's a remarkable weight saving over a conventional strobe setup.

And by purchasing the DIY kit, you get to add soldering to your expert skills list as well...