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Anti-Collision Beacon

VF84Sluggo

Well Known Member
I was recently made aware that my RV-4 is not night-legal. The plane has the position lights/wingtip strobes that are enclosed in the wingtip. The taillight has a Uavionix tailbeacon, so a white light, but no strobe. Since there is no strobe visible from the rear, I was told that makes the plane not legal for night ops. Makes sense.

So, now I'm considering adding top and bottom beacons. But I don't want some wart-looking thing sticking out from the fuselage. Any suggestions on faired, low-profile anti-collision beacons?

Thanks in advance.
 

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Strobes.........

So, now I'm considering adding top and bottom beacons. But I don't want some wart-looking thing sticking out from the fuselage. Any suggestions on faired, low-profile anti-collision beacons?

SuzieQ has wingtip strobes that house both red/green nav lights and rear-facing white light. The are the old Welen with the power box up front (like that weight up front). I may change them out; I might keep them. There are a BUNCH of options out there and they are getting more streamlined. I would not have something on the fuselage as that would be.......um........ugly.......wart-looking.....:eek:
 
You would be better off to remove the TailBeacon and install an echoUAT and an aft strobe/position light.
 
You would be better off to remove the TailBeacon and install an echoUAT and an aft strobe/position light.
Vic Syracuse suggested this. Certainly a good option...maybe

Don't know what all would be involved in wiring that up, getting a strobe wire/power run out to the tail. I'm not the builder, not sure how big of a job this would end up being.
 
Strobes

This is what I have. Not following what you are suggesting.

I have the 90340 series on the external wing tip but that is NOT what I paid for the system. :eek::eek: Whelen does make a tail strobe: 90111-02. It looks kinds boxy. Surely there is something better in the LED market....
 
I saw these:

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/pnpages/11-07243.php?msclkid=2be168900afc1d63887a0ba318bd6449

Now, I like the idea of separate strobes and beacons. I've never cared for the GA thing of turning strobes on in the chocks, and all the time. Being a former airline guy, that was considered poor form, especially at night, blinding people around you with flashing strobes. We turned on the strobes (all external lights, actually) when crossing runways, then off. Strobes were turned otherwise only when taking the active runway, takeoff or line-up-and-wait; turned off when you cleared the active after landing.

So, I'm way ok with anti-collision beacons for anytime the engine is running, strobes only used as I described above.
 
Strobe with the quarter in the picture

Is this what you're talking about?

I installed this strobe. Super bright and small. Winner.

Also. The faa isnt exactly banging down hangar doors looking. Some dude just bought two different airplanes and flew them for years with no license. Only caught him when he crashed straight into the ground.
 
Xenon flash true strobes use a power pack and shielded cabling.

The LED anticollision beacons run just power, ground, and a sync between them, if you wish. The 4th wire sets the pattern when grounded, find a pattern you like, then cap it if you don't want to wire it to a pattern switch.

I like the MSTRBs in red, 360 degree coverage. I think it is the same as FLYLEDs sells. Radio silent, which not all are. One in the vert stab cap, aft enough to shadow the cockpit, one on the belly just aft of the baggage wall.
 

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Keep in mind on a -4 or -8, a strobe on the vertical stab will be distracting in the cockpit, as it will flash through the bubble canopy.

I removed my tail strobe and went with wingtip strobes only for that reason.
 
Hi Randy

Plan B could be to use our Stand-Alone tail light in your rudder. It just needs 12 volts and it will act as both a position light and a strobe, making your plane night legal.
Then you can relocate your Tail Beacon to the inside of a wingtip, picking up position light power there. In this location the beacon works just fine for ADS-B out duties.



Or, upgrade your complete strobe system to our The Original Flyleds kit along with our standard tail light. Our kit should be a bunch brighter than the position lights you have now, and you can reuse your existing wiring as well.
While your strobe parts are still working they are worth money to folks driving certified aircraft who have no other choice. You might recover the entire upgrade costs doing this.

Please click through for more information!

 
I installed this strobe. Super bright and small. Winner.

Also. The faa isnt exactly banging down hangar doors looking. Some dude just bought two different airplanes and flew them for years with no license. Only caught him when he crashed straight into the ground.

That would do it..:eek:....He was never caught, he was discovered!
 
Keep in mind on a -4 or -8, a strobe on the vertical stab will be distracting in the cockpit, as it will flash through the bubble canopy.

I removed my tail strobe and went with wingtip strobes only for that reason.

As low a profile as this is, I think it won’t be a issue at night and the vert stab should provide some shielding. HOWEVER if the little rascal does flash the cockpit, I have the luxury of switching it off since I will have strobes all around. Before I do that, I would put a tiny piece of aluminum tape on the front of it to shield the cockpit.
 
Hi Randy

Plan B could be to use our Stand-Alone tail light in your rudder. It just needs 12 volts and it will act as both a position light and a strobe, making your plane night legal.
Then you can relocate your Tail Beacon to the inside of a wingtip, picking up position light power there. In this location the beacon works just fine for ADS-B out duties.



Or, upgrade your complete strobe system to our The Original Flyleds kit along with our standard tail light. Our kit should be a bunch brighter than the position lights you have now, and you can reuse your existing wiring as well.
While your strobe parts are still working they are worth money to folks driving certified aircraft who have no other choice. You might recover the entire upgrade costs doing this.

Please click through for more information!

Paul, thanks for the reply! I think this might be the best solution.

Thanks
 
Keep in mind on a -4 or -8, a strobe on the vertical stab will be distracting in the cockpit, as it will flash through the bubble canopy.
I think the 4 rudder is unbalanced like the 6. That means the tip fiberglass on the vertical stab is longer, and you can get the strobe far enough back that the forward portion of the tip is enough to block the strobe.

At least, the Whelen strobe on the tip of my 6 vertical stab does not flash into the cockpit... And it sticks a good inch and a bit out of the tip. The lower profile one looks like it would be even better protected.
 
Hi Randy

Plan B could be to use our Stand-Alone tail light in your rudder. It just needs 12 volts and it will act as both a position light and a strobe, making your plane night legal.
Then you can relocate your Tail Beacon to the inside of a wingtip, picking up position light power there. In this location the beacon works just fine for ADS-B out duties.



Or, upgrade your complete strobe system to our The Original Flyleds kit along with our standard tail light. Our kit should be a bunch brighter than the position lights you have now, and you can reuse your existing wiring as well.
While your strobe parts are still working they are worth money to folks driving certified aircraft who have no other choice. You might recover the entire upgrade costs doing this.

Please click through for more information!

Ok, looking at it, I don't see how my tailbeacon will fit in a wingtip position.
 

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I saw these:

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/pnpages/11-07243.php?msclkid=2be168900afc1d63887a0ba318bd6449

Now, I like the idea of separate strobes and beacons. I've never cared for the GA thing of turning strobes on in the chocks, and all the time. Being a former airline guy, that was considered poor form, especially at night, blinding people around you with flashing strobes. We turned on the strobes (all external lights, actually) when crossing runways, then off. Strobes were turned otherwise only when taking the active runway, takeoff or line-up-and-wait; turned off when you cleared the active after landing.

So, I'm way ok with anti-collision beacons for anytime the engine is running, strobes only used as I described above.

Same here, I have this: https://www.aircraftspruce.com/pages/el/ledlighting_beacon/aveoredbaronmini.php
 

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Ok, looking at it, I don't see how my tailbeacon will fit in a wingtip position.

It can be mounted on a bracket inside the wingtip, so it's completely out of sight. I've seen a rib made of fiberglass attached to the wingtip itself, while others have just folded up a simple bracket and mounted it to the outermost rib on the wing. Example here.

I understand that you can turn the position light off on some models, not sure if you can do that on all.

 
It can be mounted on a bracket inside the wingtip, so it's completely out of sight. I've seen a rib made of fiberglass attached to the wingtip itself, while others have just folded up a simple bracket and mounted it to the outermost rib on the wing. Example here.

I understand that you can turn the position light off on some models, not sure if you can do that on all.


Ok, now I get it. Thanks!
 
I'd pull the Tail Beacon, replace it with a nav/strobe combo of your choice and then upgrade your transponder to ADSB In/Out. It is so nice to have ADSB In without having to suction cup something somewhere.
 
I'd pull the Tail Beacon, replace it with a nav/strobe combo of your choice and then upgrade your transponder to ADSB In/Out. It is so nice to have ADSB In without having to suction cup something somewhere.

This would be the best solution, I agree. But my -4 has one of those irritating Becker round transponders. Going with a 'normal' transponder, well, now we're really starting to get into a project, and $$$$$$.

Maybe not flying at night is the answer...lolol
 
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