Robert M

Robert M

Well Known Member
I'm struggling with trying to locate information about how many lights I need, what color they should be and where they should go. I want my -9/A to be night VFR but what to do? I'm in the process of building the Empennage and I'll need to wire the VS if I'm going to put a light back there.

I've looked for information about Nav Lighting, Position lighting and anticollision lighting - very illusive. It seems as though NAV and POS (red left, green right wing tip) lights appear be the same thing. The information I did find about anticollision lights I didn't understand.

Anyone out there got any information that is more in layman's terms?

Thanks a bunch,
 
Robert,

I, and many others, are just using a white nav/strobe combo light in the bottom rudder cap. No need to worry about wiring right now if you go this route, and have not yet installed that bottom cap. Just leave it off 'til later when it gets mounted to the fuse. That's what I'm doing, and my two pennies worth. :)
 
Oh, one more penny-

Green nav/strobe on the right, and red nav/strobe on the left. Those with the white nav/strobe on the tail will be night VFR legal. Plus your landing/taxi lights, of course.
 
You don't need to wire your VS. However -- and I think this is in the plans -- you have the options drilling holes, installing bushings, and then running string up there in case you want to do something with the VS in the future. But most folks -- and I agree FWIW -- have noted that having lights -- especially a strobe -- in the VS is a bad idea since the canopy is 360 degrees and you'll be flashing right into your cabin.

The rudder fairing seems to be the place where most folks are sticking a light, and the RVator that came out in January had a suggestion for how to run that wiring.
 
Thanks guys for all the responses! I don't want to make this project any more complicated than it already is.

So, if I got this straight - A white strobe in the back/bottom of the tail, the red/green wing tips and the landing light. That's it? Seems too simple!
 
......oh and (here comes the loaded gun) any suggestions as to who might supply the lights I need? Are there any complete packages (i.e. power suplies, mounting hardware, wiring). I would like to have a relativelt bright landing light.

Thanks again
 
Van's offers a Whelen light kit (Option "6", I believe) that will work with your 9A. It comes with the power supply, wingtip lights (combo of strobe and green/red, as applicable), and the white tail/strobe. It's a little spendy, but comes with everything you need. You can see the details of what's included on Van's website.
 
Landing/taxi lights are not required for homebuilts. Landing and/or taxi lights are only required for commercial operations for which homebuilts don't qualify.
 
almost

Robert M said:
So, if I got this straight - A white strobe in the back/bottom of the tail, the red/green wing tips and the landing light. That's it? Seems too simple!
Click to expand...
For day/night VFR you need the white strobes on the wing tips as well, not just in the rear of the rudder bottom.
 
lights needed...

Alrighty then.....

Green on the right wing tip with a white strobe, red on the left wing tip with a white strobe and a white strobe on the tail? Landing and or taxi lights are optional.

Am I getting closer? :)
 
Almost there! Now add a solid white light on the tail or white lights showing aft on the wingtips and you got it. If the wingtip strobes show aft, then you don't need the tail strobe.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.