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Beacons

No reason that you can’t - and I know of a number of people who have. I think we’ve gotten away from them with good strobes being available, and now with LED strobes all around, folks decide a beacon is just extra complication and weight.
 
I personally like having both. More light when your flying is good to be seen but LED strobes at night on the ground are super irritating to be taxiing around. I fly a decent amount at night though.
 
My build will have both for a few reason. I bought this beacon from spruce. It's wired through a fuse and is on whenever the master is on. 1) I like a beacon because it says the aircraft power is on and the engine could start. 2) I can look at the plane from a distance and see that the power is off. 3) I have always thought it was courteous to not turn on strobes until crossing the hold short line, especially at night.
 
My build will have both for a few reason. I bought this beacon from spruce. It's wired through a fuse and is on whenever the master is on. 1) I like a beacon because it says the aircraft power is on and the engine could start. 2) I can look at the plane from a distance and see that the power is off. 3) I have always thought it was courteous to not turn on strobes until crossing the hold short line, especially at night.

This.

However, some aircraft have strobes as their only anti-collision lighting system so they tend to taxi with them on at night. This seems endemic to certain brands....

But, like you, I've always avoided the strobes going on until I cross the line to depart, and they go off as soon as I exit the runway. They do go back on if I'm crossing another runway but go back off as soon as I'm clear.
 
The ancient Grimes style rotating beacon has long been surpassed by LED technology, but I agree there is some utility to having a separate "ground warning" type light. I also try not to turn on strobes until on the runway, but I do have an "always on" LED flasher for the reasons listed above.

https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...ni-emergency-vehicle-led-warning-lights/1905/

I first found this $35 device (on this forum) and it has been GREAT. Not quite up to the intensity of dedicated ACL, but very, very bright. For the money, its hard to go wrong.
 
The ancient Grimes style rotating beacon has long been surpassed by LED technology, but I agree there is some utility to having a separate "ground warning" type light. I also try not to turn on strobes until on the runway, but I do have an "always on" LED flasher for the reasons listed above.

https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...ni-emergency-vehicle-led-warning-lights/1905/

I first found this $35 device (on this forum) and it has been GREAT. Not quite up to the intensity of dedicated ACL, but very, very bright. For the money, its hard to go wrong.
What he said! I installed this $35 red LED on the belly of my -8. It’s cheap, effective, quiet and an easy install. Having it flashing on the belly has saved me twice recently from walking away and leaving the master switch on... doh!
 
Yep, that Red 360 degree MSTRB is great. So small, bright, low-draw, simple and radio silent. I'm glad to hear it caught on.
 
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I just bought two of these MSTRBs for my -4. One for the top, one for the bottom.

Anybody had bad experiences installing a beacon/strobe on the top, behind a bubble canopy? Any issues with distractions at night or the like?
 
For top coverage there is a sweet spot on the vertical stab cap where forward projection does not catch your eye on the wings. Just not too far forward and not back too far. About 1/4 from the leading edge of the vert stab. Too far back also highlights the top of the wings.

I would not think there is any good spot on the aft fuselage upper surface.

Easy enough to mock up with the MSTRB. Temp wire it to 12 v and hot glue it to a test spot. Darken hangar.

If it does not highlight the wings or catch your eye as you scan, top fuse could work. Doubler and standard practices/43.13 and all.

It will wind up about a half inch lower, I assume you will not surface mount it, but recess mount it.
 
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I had been thinking about installing it on top of the fuselage, literally maybe 6-12" behind where the canopy edge is. I don't know if I have the fortitude to go digging around in the stab.

Sounds like that might be an issue for reflections?
 
My build will have both for a few reason. I bought this beacon from spruce. It's wired through a fuse and is on whenever the master is on. 1) I like a beacon because it says the aircraft power is on and the engine could start. 2) I can look at the plane from a distance and see that the power is off. 3) I have always thought it was courteous to not turn on strobes until crossing the hold short line, especially at night.

I also purchased this beacon for the same reasons. Coming from the 121 world (returning to my GA roots), I've laid out my panel as a flow/check/do list, and my light switches go L->R for a flow:

Nav lights: always on, so if the power is on, they are.
Beacon: Completion of the Before Start checklist. I'm about to turn the prop.
Strobes: Taking the active runway. At a Towered airport, On for Line up and Waits.
Landing lights: Cleared for Take off, let's go flying!
 
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After a friend picked me up one night on a dark ramp with his strobes blinding me as I approached his plane, I decided to include a pair of these LEDs -- red on the VS cap and white on the belly. I have them on a single on-off-on switch with the strobe lights.
 
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