Anti-collision lights

Dang it! I deleted all the old messages from the newsgroup, and can't post a
follow-up in the existing thread. Double-dang!

Anyway, here's the answer to my own question about whether my Champ project
needs to have anti-collision lighting installed.

Short answer: No.

Not-so-short answer: The official FAA Type certificate is currently owned by
American Champion Aircraft, of Rochester, Wisconsin (I knew that). The
certificate was issued according to Aircraft Specification A-759, which has
all the old and current Champ-derived airframe types. Mine rolled off the
Champion assembly line in April of 1958, which was after the requirement for
lights, BUT, the type certificate was issued on March 27, 1957! That's good
news, as the requirement for anti-collision lighting states that, prior to
April 01, 1957, no anti-collision lighting is required. Under the wire by 3
(or 4) days, depending on how you count.

Now, does that mean it isn't a Good Idea to have strobes on an old aircraft?
Of course not! My night-time flying will be rare, though, and if I don't
gotta have 'em, I just might not install 'em.

By the way, I learned all this from the official FAA website, which has
everything you can possibly care about (and a lot you don't) on it.

Jon B.

What is legal is not necessarily safe. Personally, when I'm flying at night I
want to make sure I am visible and I wish everyone else did too. Two (you can
see at most two from any angle that matters) steady and not very bright lights
may have been sufficient in the 1950's when there was little light on the
ground, but these days you might as well be flyng with all your lights off.
Hard to do see and avoid if you can't see what you are avoiding. Even just
mounting a single strobe on your tail would be a big improvement.


"Grandpa B." wrote:

Dang it! I deleted all the old messages from the newsgroup, and can't post a
follow-up in the existing thread. Double-dang!

Anyway, here's the answer to my own question about whether my Champ project
needs to have anti-collision lighting installed.

Short answer: No.

Not-so-short answer: The official FAA Type certificate is currently owned by
American Champion Aircraft, of Rochester, Wisconsin (I knew that). The
certificate was issued according to Aircraft Specification A-759, which has
all the old and current Champ-derived airframe types. Mine rolled off the
Champion assembly line in April of 1958, which was after the requirement for
lights, BUT, the type certificate was issued on March 27, 1957! That's good
news, as the requirement for anti-collision lighting states that, prior to
April 01, 1957, no anti-collision lighting is required. Under the wire by 3
(or 4) days, depending on how you count.

Now, does that mean it isn't a Good Idea to have strobes on an old aircraft?
Of course not! My night-time flying will be rare, though, and if I don't
gotta have 'em, I just might not install 'em.

By the way, I learned all this from the official FAA website, which has
everything you can possibly care about (and a lot you don't) on it.

Jon B.

--
--Ray Andraka, P.E.
President, the Andraka Consulting Group, Inc.
401/884-7930 Fax 401/884-7950
email
http://www.andraka.com

"They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little
temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
-Benjamin Franklin, 1759

Jon,

Would you mind posting the precise directions to the material on the FAA website that answered this question for
you? I'm in a 1950 Pacer, same story, and haven't been able to find the specific language that would make me
legal.

Thanks,
Mike

Grandpa B. (never.mind) wrote:
: Dang it! I deleted all the old messages from the newsgroup, and can't post a
: follow-up in the existing thread. Double-dang!

: Anyway, here's the answer to my own question about whether my Champ project
: needs to have anti-collision lighting installed.

: Short answer: No.

: Not-so-short answer: The official FAA Type certificate is currently owned by
: American Champion Aircraft, of Rochester, Wisconsin (I knew that). The
: certificate was issued according to Aircraft Specification A-759, which has
: all the old and current Champ-derived airframe types. Mine rolled off the
: Champion assembly line in April of 1958, which was after the requirement for
: lights, BUT, the type certificate was issued on March 27, 1957! That's good
: news, as the requirement for anti-collision lighting states that, prior to
: April 01, 1957, no anti-collision lighting is required. Under the wire by 3
: (or 4) days, depending on how you count.

: Now, does that mean it isn't a Good Idea to have strobes on an old aircraft?
: Of course not! My night-time flying will be rare, though, and if I don't
: gotta have 'em, I just might not install 'em.

: By the way, I learned all this from the official FAA website, which has
: everything you can possibly care about (and a lot you don't) on it.

: Jon B.



--

Mike:

I apologize for the delay; I just got back from a mini-vacation. No flying,
just driving, hiking and biking.

The Type Certificate info can be found at:
http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory...keModel.nsf/Ma
inFrame?OpenFrameSet

For regulations regarding the lighting requirements, go to:
http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory...visoryCircular
..nsf/1ab39b4ed563b08985256a35006d56af/94d4758b3f48035186256bf40064457d/$FILE
/AC20-30B.pdf

You may have to cut & paste the addresses, but this should get you close.

To address the legal vs. advisable issue: You are correct, Ray, in that
what's legal may not be a great idea. However... If I log 5 hours of night
flying in the next 10 years, I'll be amazed. I have logged zero in the last
9 years. I also tend to fly in un-congested, low-use airspace in rural
Minnesota, and will make forays into the wilds of South Dakota. I also tend
to inhabit airspace close to the ground, as Champs are low, slow fliers. I
appreciate your concern, but also feel it to be misplaced. I know more about
my flying that you do.

Jon B.

"Michael C Finke" wrote in message
...
Jon,

Would you mind posting the precise directions to the material on the FAA
website that answered this question for
you? I'm in a 1950 Pacer, same story, and haven't been able to find the
specific language that would make me
legal.

Thanks,
Mike

Grandpa B. (never.mind) wrote:
: Dang it! I deleted all the old messages from the newsgroup, and can't
post a
: follow-up in the existing thread. Double-dang!

: Anyway, here's the answer to my own question about whether my Champ
project
: needs to have anti-collision lighting installed.

: Short answer: No.

: Not-so-short answer: The official FAA Type certificate is currently
owned by
: American Champion Aircraft, of Rochester, Wisconsin (I knew that). The
: certificate was issued according to Aircraft Specification A-759, which
has
: all the old and current Champ-derived airframe types. Mine rolled off
the
: Champion assembly line in April of 1958, which was after the requirement
for
: lights, BUT, the type certificate was issued on March 27, 1957! That's
good
: news, as the requirement for anti-collision lighting states that, prior
to
: April 01, 1957, no anti-collision lighting is required. Under the wire
by 3
: (or 4) days, depending on how you count.

: Now, does that mean it isn't a Good Idea to have strobes on an old
aircraft?
: Of course not! My night-time flying will be rare, though, and if I don't
: gotta have 'em, I just might not install 'em.

: By the way, I learned all this from the official FAA website, which has
: everything you can possibly care about (and a lot you don't) on it.

: Jon B.



--

Thanks, Jon, for the info. --Mike

Grandpa B. (never.mind) wrote:
: Mike:

: I apologize for the delay; I just got back from a mini-vacation. No flying,
: just driving, hiking and biking.

: The Type Certificate info can be found at:
: http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory...keModel.nsf/Ma
: inFrame?OpenFrameSet

: For regulations regarding the lighting requirements, go to:
: http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory...visoryCircular
: .nsf/1ab39b4ed563b08985256a35006d56af/94d4758b3f48035186256bf40064457d/$FILE
: /AC20-30B.pdf

: You may have to cut & paste the addresses, but this should get you close.

: To address the legal vs. advisable issue: You are correct, Ray, in that
: what's legal may not be a great idea. However... If I log 5 hours of night
: flying in the next 10 years, I'll be amazed. I have logged zero in the last
: 9 years. I also tend to fly in un-congested, low-use airspace in rural
: Minnesota, and will make forays into the wilds of South Dakota. I also tend
: to inhabit airspace close to the ground, as Champs are low, slow fliers. I
: appreciate your concern, but also feel it to be misplaced. I know more about
: my flying that you do.

: Jon B.

: "Michael C Finke" wrote in message
: ...
: Jon,
:
: Would you mind posting the precise directions to the material on the FAA
: website that answered this question for
: you? I'm in a 1950 Pacer, same story, and haven't been able to find the
: specific language that would make me
: legal.
:
: Thanks,
: Mike
:
: Grandpa B. (never.mind) wrote:
: : Dang it! I deleted all the old messages from the newsgroup, and can't
: post a
: : follow-up in the existing thread. Double-dang!
:
: : Anyway, here's the answer to my own question about whether my Champ
: project
: : needs to have anti-collision lighting installed.
:
: : Short answer: No.
:
: : Not-so-short answer: The official FAA Type certificate is currently
: owned by
: : American Champion Aircraft, of Rochester, Wisconsin (I knew that). The
: : certificate was issued according to Aircraft Specification A-759, which
: has
: : all the old and current Champ-derived airframe types. Mine rolled off
: the
: : Champion assembly line in April of 1958, which was after the requirement
: for
: : lights, BUT, the type certificate was issued on March 27, 1957! That's
: good
: : news, as the requirement for anti-collision lighting states that, prior
: to
: : April 01, 1957, no anti-collision lighting is required. Under the wire
: by 3
: : (or 4) days, depending on how you count.
:
: : Now, does that mean it isn't a Good Idea to have strobes on an old
: aircraft?
: : Of course not! My night-time flying will be rare, though, and if I don't
: : gotta have 'em, I just might not install 'em.
:
: : By the way, I learned all this from the official FAA website, which has
: : everything you can possibly care about (and a lot you don't) on it.
:
: : Jon B.
:
:
:
: --
:
:
:
: