This is really a maze...


I gave the quick and common terminology in my first posting. John McBean posted the same answers. But in aviation, there are always exceptions.



Lowell referenced FAR 31.65 but that reg applies to manned balloons. Because balloons can drift backwards they have no red or green navigation lights. So that FAR is not much help for the Kitfox.


Lighting requirements for fixed wing aircraft often depends on when the aircraft was certified, and under what part of the FARs. Most of the older airplanes were certified under Regulation 4b which is no longer used.



Older aircraft are grandfathered for the lighting requirements. If the initial type certified was after August 1971; then, Part 23 applies to Normal, Utility, Acrobatic and Commuter type aircraft and Part 25 applies to Transport category aircraft.


One would think the lighting would be the same for all aircraft. Well, since when did the FAA make sense?



The term “Navigation Lights” is commonly used in cockpit labeling, owner's manuals, and FAA approved Pilot Operating Handbooks. A switch labeled “nav lights” typically turns on the red, green and white tip and tail lights. But the FAA does not use the terminology. In the regs they only refer to position lights and anti-collision lights.


So we dig a bit deeper and go to the aircraft lighting manufacturers.


Whelen uses only “position lights” while Areoled uses “navigation lights” when referring to red and green wing tip lights. Aveo covers the bases using “navigation/strobe/position” to describe their combination light. It’s not an official source, but we find “navigation lights” in common usage.


Lighting intensity is spelled out in detail for certified aircraft. For experimental aircraft to fly at night the airworthiness only says “required aircraft lighting”. But since there are no standards for Experimental Aircraft, determining what type and intensity of lighting meets the requirements is up to the builder.


The flashing lights on the outside of aircraft also go by several names; beacons, strobes, anticollision. Many cockpits of certified aircraft have lighting labeled “strobe”. That’s another term the FAA doesn’t use. They call it an anti-collision light.



Prior to 1971 we saw “rotating becons” on aircraft and they were always red. We also saw single all around stobe lights with red lenses take the place of rotating beacons. Some lighting systems use osculating beacons that do not flash on and off, but merely dim between the bright periods.


After 1971 part 23 airplanes can use white beacons or red. The anti-collision lights can be strobes or beacons. Part 25 aircraft use red anti-collision lights in addition to the white strobes, but the beacons may be a red colored strobe light.



It is a confusing maze of lights, lumens, beacons, strobes, and now…. LEDs.


Here's another kink in the regs. If you have an anti-collision light installed on your aircraft it must be operated in the daytime anytime you you taxi or fly. Exceptions to that, too.



So what’s the answer on these names?


If you are shopping for red, green, and white lights that are continuously on… do your search for “position lights” or “navigation lights”. You will find them under both terms.



If you are looking for flashing exterior lighting do your search for “anti-collision” , “strobe lights”, or “beacon light”


Now to really confuse you… if you decide to adapt marine lighting to your aircraft the suppliers might call the red and green lights “side lights”.


That should muddy the waters

John Pitkin