Position light question, do I need a tail light??

lancef53 · Post by **lancef53** » Thu Jan 07, 2010 10:15 pm

Do I need to install a clear white tail light on my rudder if I use the wingtip lights with the color in front, strobe in the center, and the clear on the back of each wingtip? I am sure the answer is out there somewhere, but I am not sure where to look.

Thanks for the help.

Post by **bullojm1** » Thu Jan 07, 2010 11:41 pm

If you have aft facing position lights on the wingtips you don't need the taillight.

Whelen has a good pic on page 4 of the following PDF:

http://www.whelen.com/pb/Aviation/Catal ... atalog.pdf

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Fri Jan 08, 2010 8:58 am

That will only work if you don't use the recessed area in the wingtips for the lights. In other words, if you are putting the light cluster out in the breeze, you can get away with not putting a white light in the tail. If the lights will be enclosed in the recess, you will have to put a white tail light in the rudder to satisfy lighting requirements...

Now that I type all that out...does the -8 have a recessed tip for lights?

lancef53 · Post by **lancef53** » Fri Jan 08, 2010 12:26 pm

Thanks for the replies. I have fitted an old set of the 415 wingtips, so I was planning on hanging the lights out in the breeze. I thought they would be ok, but I thought I would check.

It is fun to get back to work, I finally got done with harvest and year-end paperwork, so I can do some fun stuff.

My last entry in my builders log was in April--that is hopeless!!!

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Fri Jan 08, 2010 2:19 pm

That'll work fine then Lance! Glad you're back at it!

Bob Barrett · Post by **Bob Barrett** » Fri Jan 08, 2010 8:27 pm

Lance I want to do the same thing. Tim Mahoney is a local supplier of LED lights and I am hoping he will come up with a package of LED lights similiar the '
Whelen tip lights only using LED lights. He has studied the lighting requirements throughly and has real gool knowledge of FAA lighting requirement. His cockpit lights are listed in Aircarft Spruce, Vans and have been in Sport Aviation.

I am glad you can finally get back to building. You need to hurry up because before you know it it will be time for Spring's work again!

lancef53 · Post by **lancef53** » Fri Jan 08, 2010 9:06 pm

Ya, tell me about springs work being around the corner. I am hoping to hit it hard until the end of March, and let the hired man work on equipment while I am playing on the plane. That way we both have help nearby when we need it.

I hope to have it running by then, if not more.

It all depends on how this wiring goes

, it is taking a few days to get back in the swing of things, and remember what I was doing last spring. The wiring is the reason that I didn't do anything all summer/fall, it is too hard to drop it and pick it up a month later. I need to be focused so I don't let all the smoke out