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External Lighting Plan

S

smbrown

Member
Exterior Lighting Plan

Greetings, after an aborted RV-6A project 15 yrs ago (Cherokee and Cirrus in between) I'm returning to the fraternity of RV-dom and contracted to purchase a beautiful RV-7A. This is where I could use the collective's wisdom: the plane currently has no external lighting and the seller has agreed to making this part of the purchase so I want to specify exact details so I get what I expect.

My goal is to have a Landing and a Taxi light (Sunray Plus) in opposite wingtips, taxi pointed slightly downward, which will be used for recognition (wig-wag) during the day. Position/Strobes (Pulsar NSP) in wingtips and tail (Suntail). So far so good, the challenge is the panel currently only has two spots for the required switches (Strobes & Landing); so without major panel changes I'm hoping to have:

- Position On/Off
- Strobes On/Off
- Landing On/Off
- Taxi On/Off
- Recognition On/Off

The only solution for which I was able to concoct is replace the two 2-position switches with 3-position switches and combine Landing/Taxi lighting into single position:

- Switch1: Off/Position/StrobesPosition
- Switch2: Off/LandingTaxi/Recognition

There is a third switch for Smoke, which I don't anticipate needing so if necessary another panel position could be had.

Here's the wiring diagram I've come up with, along with picture of panel location:
15d2lc5.png



- Operational Issues with combining Landing/Taxi?
- What about beacon? I'm used to having red beacon but is it really necessary? another hole in empennage, weight, drag, and cost...
- Sunray Plus bright enough? I believe I saw AeroSun will NOT fit in -7A wingtips hence the smaller unit.
- The switches look common enough, where do I find them? checked ACS and Wickes but didn't find them.
Any addition input very much appreciated
 
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My thoughts:
1. Since this aircraft was originally not equipped for night flight get ahold of the operating limitations. Make certain they contain a statement that says, essentially, "limited to day vfr unless equipped for night and/or ifr per FAR 91.205". If this statement is missing you will have to go to your FISDO and get the operating limitations changed. (just paperwork, should be straightforward).

2. FAR 91.205 requires "approved, or equivalent" lighting systems. So you will need to make sure your proposed system meets the brightness, and visibility from different angles, specifications.

3. A strobe system can be the anti-collision lights mentioned in the fars, as long as they meet the visibility specs. No rotating beacon required. But in RVs with recessed wingtip lighting you will need a tail strobe so you can be seen from the rear.

4. FARs require the strobes to be on all the time (except for safety reasons) so with your proposal the nav lights are on all the time too. With LEDs I see no problem with this.

5. Do you have panel space for circuitbreakers or fuses?

I cannot help with 3 way switches.
 
RE:Congrats

Hi Steve

Congrats on your RV purchase. I hope it gives you many hours of pleasure and fun. Good luck with the mods....
 
Exterior Lighting

Hey guys, thanks so much for the input. Bob especially appreciate the regulatory angle, I had not considered that one at all; plane is allegedly pre-wired for lights so breakers *should* be there already.

Dave, I had considered the split switch idea as well, I can't determine a source for existing switches so no idea their dimensions and whether the Cessna Master switch would be same size.

Rather than try to figure this out from other side of the country I'll bring it home where I'll have more flexibility.
 
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