GENERAL AVIATION MINIMUM POSITION LIGHTING REQUIREMENTS For compliance to FAR
Part 23.1385 through 23.1397, VFR flight rule night requirements on a General Aviation
aircraft, you must have a TSO'd Aviation Red forward position light on the left and an Aviation
Green forward position light on the right. See Figure 7, page 4. These are normally mounted on
the most outward extremity of the airframe so they can project their light directly in front of
the aircraft 0 degree to 110 degrees left and right horizontally, and 180 degrees up and down
vertically, unobstructed by any part of the aircraft. The tail position light must project its
Aviation White light toward the rear of the aircraft, 70 degrees horizontally left and right from
0 degree straight back behind the aircraft, 180 degrees up and down, 0.04 Steradian (131.36
sq. degrees) interference is allowable, reference FAR Part 23.1387(c). More than one light is
acceptable.
ANTI-COLLISION LIGHT INSTALLATION PROCEDURES STC SA800EA / STC SA615EA / STC
SA21NE The following information is to assist in the installation of a custom Whelen anti-
collision strobe light system on any aircraft, and how to return the aircraft back to service with
compliance to FAR Part 91.205(c) (3). 1. Choose the anti-collision light system which is most
applicable to the aircraft. 2. With reference to the STC’s “Limitation and Conditions” for field of
coverage requirements. Check the field of coverage of the pro- posed location. 3. These STC’s
document that Whelen’s anti-collision strobe lights meet the requirements as specified in AC
43.13-2A, Chapter 4, PAR.51 (a and b) (1). STC SA615EA covers replacement of original
equipment, STC SA800EA and STC SA21NE cover installation of new anti-collision light systems.
4. Vertical fin mounted anti-collision strobe beacons will conform to the FAR 23.1401, 0.5
steradian (1642 sq. degrees) maximum solid angle blockage requirements on most standard
configurations (CAM 3 and FAR Part 23) high or low wing type aircraft. An aver- age solid angle
blockage for an installation of this type is 1324 sq. degrees. 5. Fuselage mounted anti-collision
light systems require two (2) anti- collision strobe beacons to get the +/– 75 degrees required.
Two lights mounted in this manner exceed the steradian requirements of 21,600 sq. degrees
total coverage. 6. Fuselage mounted anti-collision lights should be located on the fuselage
center line to reduce reflection on the wings as much as possible. They should be mounted
near the trailing edge of the wing, to reduce cockpit reflection.
PILOT AND CREW INTERFERENCE: In some installations it will be necessary to mask the strobe
lighthead assembly to reduce pilot annoyance. This interference problem varies from one
aircraft to another of the same model, due to paint schemes and colors. The Navigation Light
Detector will be a source of reflection and should be reduced in size, or masked as necessary. A
small aluminum or plastic plate mounted between the navigation light and the wingtip
protruding up or down as required (like some plastic navigation light detectors, and trimmed
to shadow the objectionable reflected area) is simple and very effective. The solid angle
blockage must be reviewed after installing any masking that will disturb the 360 degrees by +/–
75 degrees pattern. The aforementioned type masking used on wingtip lighting seldom
interferes with this pattern
The assembly should be mounted as far aft on the aircraft as practicable on a thermally
conductive surface.The baseplate must be mounted parallel to the vertical and horizontal
centerlines of the aircraft to project the patterns properly.
