Replacement: Rotating Beacon vs. Wingtip Strobes

[Seth]

My rotating beacon has been intermittent (it spins but won't light up) and I've spent too much money to have it be repaired over and over the past year (it works for less than a week and then stops lighting up again).  I finally stopped with repairs about nine months ago (never been stopped at any class D, C, or B airports), and now that the annual is coming up, its time to either replace the beacon with the Whalen fixed place, or get ride of the bump, maybe get a one knot increase in speed, and install wingtip strobes.

1)  What is legal?

2)  What are the costs for each - for instance the Whalen is around $800 plus install.  I have not researched the wingtip costs nor install costs.

3)  Has anyone done this?

4)  Many people who have a 1967 M20F do not have the rotating beacon on the topside of the aircraft.  Are the wingtip strobes even necessary?  I have a strobe on the bottom of the plane.

Thanks for your help.  I know newer Mooney's do not have it at all.

-Seth

[skyking]

Hi Seth: I have a 1959 Model M20 and i had the rotating beacon on mine with the same issues.

I replaced it last annual with a a high intensity LED unit for $1800 bucks Canadian.

I dont remember the model but i got it at the Mooney dealer in Calgary AB.

 

[N6843N]

Your answers can be found in the FAR's. 91.205© covers the basics. 23.1397 and 23.1401 cover the details.

[Seth]

Thanks for the responses - I'm looking at the same or similar LED model to replace the existing beacon.  Also, thanks for the direction to the specific FARs. 

Has anyone simply removed the beacon and installed wintip strobes?

[rob]

My aircraft has both the strobes and the beacon. I generally run the beacon as the load on the system is identical. I figure once the beacon gives up the ghost, I'll remove it and run the strobes

 

[Gone]

I have a bit of a weird system.  Strobe on the wings and tail and another belly strobe with the front half of the large pot light red and the back half white.  While it is not set up this way, it is supposed to also be able to act as a single belly beacon with a very slow pulse to the lights instead of a fast strobe.

The nav lights switch on the panel really only turns on the recognition lights in the wings and the tail.  The strobe light switch turns the remainder on, wingtips, tail and belly.  No middle ground.  I would prefer to get the belly one working as a beacon while on the ramp and prior to taking the runway, especially at night.

The other unmet desire is to change the belly light (strobe) for one that is more aerodynamic but those are only made in the 28 volt model.  They are also LEDs and should draw less from the system.

 

[Lood]

Mine's the same as edgargravels' - wingtip strobes and rotating beacon works together and nav lights seperately. It could probably not take more than an extra toggle swithc to seperate the wingtip strobes and beacon? I aim to have that done - just not sure if there's space for another switch though.

[scottfromiowa]

I have functional belly rotating beacon (red) that works on separate switch.  I had whelen comet wingtip strobes installed (separate switch) and they work great!  The cost of the strobes and installation were NOT prohibitive.  Why not just add a belly strobe with wingtips?

[Guest Anonymous]

Quote: scottfromiowa

I have functional belly rotating beacon (red) that works on separate switch.  I had whelen comet wingtip strobes installed (separate switch) and they work great!  The cost of the strobes and installation were NOT prohibitive.  Why not just add a belly strobe with wingtips?