LED Beacon- Red or White

[Raptor05121]

I have two strobes- factory location on the belly (which is INOP) and then another which was 337'd on the top of the empennage back in the 80s. That one still works but the strobe tube is dim and flashing fast, so it's on its way out.

So I plan on doing the Aveo RedBaron in both locations with them synced together. However, I cannot decide if I want Red/Red, White/White or combination thereof. Per Aveo, the white is brighter (Class 1) where the red isn't as bright (Class 2/3), BUT, I fly at night often and the top strobe illuminates the entire tops of the wings at night, and the white strobe does get annoying to a point where I do turn it off once I'm in cruise. So I'm conflicted. 

[Hank]

I have a single red/white strobe on the bottom. How hard would it be to remove and fair over your top strobe? LEDs are bright, I would find that very distracting. 

[Mooneymite]

That's a pricey replacement.  Have you considered:

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/fs4400.php?clickkey=3573

You still have to make the red/white decision.  

[Raptor05121]

It wouldn't be hard, but the top strobe is more noticeable than the bottom one. I don't know why Mooney put it down there. I *could* smooth it over, but I think it would be a waste. The A&P who did the 337 to install a strobe up there installed a doubler plate on the back that has about 150 rivets in it. Very ugly. So might as well use it.

[Raptor05121]

1 minute ago, Mooneymite said:

That's a pricey replacement.  Have you considered:

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/fs4400.php?clickkey=3573

You still have to make the red/white decision.  

I already have one of those (whelen version). One has a blown strobe tube and the other is on its way out. New strobe tubes are $150 each. Might as well upgrade to LED.

[kellym]

Red is definitely better for night.  While I prefer wingtip strobes for identification, especially daytime, the top and bottom in red are very good at big airports to both not blind other pilots and to have big airplanes notice you. The belly strobe or rotating beacon is good for reflection off the concrete to help 747 drivers see you among all the other airport lights.

[Yetti]

I have always wondered... on boats the nav lights get bigger with the size of the boat.  On airplanes they pretty much seem the same from the smallest to the larges.

[FoxMike]

One potential problem with a top strobe is back scatter into the cabin especially in the clouds at night.  you may want to set it up so you can tun the top beacon off separately.  Bottom mounted beacon is less of a problem.

[Marauder]

I would go all red. Even though I have an all red LED on the bottom, it is pretty noticeable in certain conditions.

[Raptor05121]

15 hours ago, FoxMike said:

One potential problem with a top strobe is back scatter into the cabin especially in the clouds at night.  you may want to set it up so you can tun the top beacon off separately.  Bottom mounted beacon is less of a problem.

Yes they are on separate switches

[StevenL757]

Red on bottom/top, and white on wingtips/tip of tail.  The OR500 Whelen is a great nav/anti-collision combination that can be synced to your wingtip lights should you choose that direction...assuming you have, or would be installing an Orion wingtip solution of one flavor or another.

Steve

[Andy95W]

Alex, I would use whatever was least expensive for the belly strobe.  That is the one that keeps you legal but honestly doesn't help much if you're being overtaken by another airplane in the traffic pattern.

For the top I would use white, but I would put a piece of aluminum tape on the forward edge so that it would keep the light from illuminating the cockpit and wings.  You can probably experiment with some duct tape right now before you install the new one.  Again, the belly strobe keeps you night legal, the tail strobe you can do whatever you want.

During taxi, I would then keep the tail strobe off as a courtesy to others, and turn it on when you taxi onto the run way.

[StevenL757]

2 hours ago, Andy95W said:

Alex, I would use whatever was least expensive for the belly strobe.  That is the one that keeps you legal but honestly doesn't help much if you're being overtaken by another airplane in the traffic pattern.

Alex, I recently removed my Whelen 90033 red anti-collision beacon on the belly in lieu of an LED model.  If interested, let me know.  I will include a new mounting gasket, bulb, and mounting ring + screw.  Brand new, they're around $500 easily, so let me know if interested.  If not, I'll include it on the "Parts for Sale" section.

Steve

[CWM20f]

Is the belly strobe required if you have wing tip and tail strobes?   

[MB65E]

It is not, but then you just become a Cirrus driver. 

-Matt

[Mooney-Mark]

The reflection of the white tail strobe off of the wings would be distracting.  I'd go with the red strobe on the tail and white wing tip strobes (synchronized). Maybe keep the old-school belly rotating beacon for nostalgia......

[StevenL757]

You may want to review Whelen’s link below about approved anti-collision solutions...

http://www.whelen.com/pb/Aviation/System Requirements/Anit-Collision Systems.pdf

Curious to see what feedback Boeing, Airbus, Bombardier, Cessna and other large aircraft manufacturers would have for you about their belly beacons being old and nostalgic...

[kellym]

On 8/14/2018 at 9:15 PM, MB65E said:

It is not, but then you just become a Cirrus driver. 

-Matt

You need to refer to the Whelen chart. What you need for a 1960s Mooney is very different than what is needed in the 1970s models, etc.  Whatever you install new has to be at least as effective in area coverage as what the plane came with from the factory.

A belly rotating beacon or strobe is very good at nigh on large airports to have the A380 and B747 drivers see you as the light reflects off the pavement. Top mounted gets lost in the noise of all the other lights around.

[Raptor05121]

Hey Steve, thanks for the offer but thats a completely different system. I have the circular Whelen self-contained unit. I think I'll eventually go with red/red

[Jim Peace]

I would go with Red.  I did the same beacon, we commented on it at 530am this morning out of NJ...super bright...

[StevenL757]

11 hours ago, Raptor05121 said:

Hey Steve, thanks for the offer but thats a completely different system. I have the circular Whelen self-contained unit. I think I'll eventually go with red/red

My pleasure.  For the price you were/are planning to pay for the Aveo, you may want to check out the below, it not already...dual mode red and white.

http://www.whelen.com/aviation/product.php?head_id=12&prod_id=196

Steve

[Raptor05121]

That looks to be 28v. I did look at Whelens 14v options but they are still massive (drag) and not as bright as the Aveo units. And I do like the double-flash of the Aveos versus the blink of the Whelens

[slowflyin]

On 8/14/2018 at 11:34 AM, StevenL757 said:

Alex, I recently removed my Whelen 90033 red anti-collision beacon on the belly in lieu of an LED model.  If interested, let me know.  I will include a new mounting gasket, bulb, and mounting ring + screw.  Brand new, they're around $500 easily, so let me know if interested.  If not, I'll include it on the "Parts for Sale" section.

Steve

What LED did you choose?

[StevenL757]

I went with the Whelen model 90724.  Specifically, the 9072411 (lower, 5-hole mount, 28V) using qty. 5 100-degree countersunk screws.

http://www.whelen.com/aviation/product.php?head_id=12&prod_id=74

We enlarged the hole left by the 90033 by making a template, cutting carefully,  and dry-fitting the 90724 until we machined away just enough for a smooth fit.  We fabricated a support plate, given the new light is much larger by comparison, but the fit turned out to be very solid, and with the support backplate, is as solid a fit - if not more so - than its predecessor.  Overall, extremely happy with it.  I believe @Txbyker has the same light on his Ovation as well...will let him weigh in with his experiences, as the same mechanic did both our installs.

Steve

[Txbyker]

2 hours ago, StevenL757 said:

I went with the Whelen model 90724.  Specifically, the 9072411 (lower, 5-hole mount, 28V) using qty. 5 100-degree countersunk screws.

http://www.whelen.com/aviation/product.php?head_id=12&prod_id=74

We enlarged the hole left by the 90033 by making a template, cutting carefully,  and dry-fitting the 90724 until we machined away just enough for a smooth fit.  We fabricated a support plate, given the new light is much larger by comparison, but the fit turned out to be very solid, and with the support backplate, is as solid a fit - if not more so - than its predecessor.  Overall, extremely happy with it.  I believe @Txbyker has the same light on his Ovation as well...will let him weigh in with his experiences, as the same mechanic did both our installs.

Steve

Yep, I copied Steve and it works great.  See attached video.  

Russ