Flashing Nav Lights?

[wildhorsesracing]

Howdy all,
I went to Triple Tree Fly In last week and noticed and aircraft on final with what looked like Nav lights flashing back and forth. Has anyone done this and is it acceptable? It seems like an awesome way to be seen in crowded airspace...

[Low Pass]

At least one brand of 12 volt LED nav lamps will flash when powered on, off, then back on.

[FlyingRon]

Not at "night" I would posit. I guess you can do whatever you want in the daytime.

[martymayes]

Pretty sure flashing nav lights went out of style in the '50's. Some old airplanes had a nav light switch with 2 positions - steady and flash.

Lots of planes today have dedicated recognition lights that flash on/off or in wig-wag style (like a RR crossing) or back and forth as you said.

[Sam Buchanan]

Howdy all,
I went to Triple Tree Fly In last week and noticed and aircraft on final with what looked like Nav lights flashing back and forth. Has anyone done this and is it acceptable? It seems like an awesome way to be seen in crowded airspace...

Most likely it was the landing lights wig-wagging. This is quite common in the experimental community. Many RVs have landing lights located in the wingtips adjacent to the nav lights. My RV-6 has been flying with flashing landing lights (police headlight flasher) since 1999.

[TomBush]

My 65' Cessna 310K has a two-position NAV LTS switch: 'Steady' and 'Flash.' Sounds like a car blinker clicking away in the 'Flash' position. Can't hear it when the engines are running, obviously. Works great and looks pretty cool, though!

[wacoc8]

Naw, it was the nav lites blinking. The nav lites were combined with the strobes on the wing tips of a low wing LSA type aircraft. It taxied by me just-a-blinking away. Very noticeable, even in the day time. Sorry I can't ID the airplane.

Dave

[Low Pass]

There is at least one manufacturer making relatively inexpensive LED retrofit nav light lamps that will blink optionally. I have them. Never use the flashing mode NAVs, but conversely I do use my wig wag LED landing lights separately and often in my RV-8. This likely explains what you were seeing.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/navstrobe11374.php?recfer=1563

[1600vw]

There is at least one manufacturer making relatively inexpensive LED retrofit nav light lamps that will blink optionally. I have them. Never use the flashing mode NAVs, but conversely I do use my wig wag LED landing lights separately and often in my RV-8. This likely explains what you were seeing.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/navstrobe11374.php?recfer=1563

Does a 1157 socket for the 1157 bulb fit this bulb? It looks to be the same from the pic. I am working on inexpensive strobes right now. I have a video and am working on it now. I should have it posted in a few hrs.

Tony

[Bob Dingley]

Military aircraft have (had) four options for nav lights. Steady bright, flashing bright, steady dim and flashing dim. The dims were for formation flying, The flashing were for IMC. In the old days, they had real rotating beacons that rotated. You aint had vertigo until you enter a cloud at night with the rotating beacon sweeping the night clouds at a range of 30 feet. You will follow the red spot on the clouds every time.

[bookmaker]

I recently added LED bulbs to my Citabria that have a blinking mode. Switch on once - steady, on off on, and they blink. There are various companies selling them, and the price ranges considerably.
I added them as an extra safety precaution, although in daylight, they really are not noticeable from very far off. The LED's are definitely brighter than the regular bulbs.

[JimRice85]

My (former-sold it Wednesday) Swift has flashing nav lights. It has been that way since 1985. Understand they came from factory that way.

You can see them flashing in video below.

https://youtu.be/NiW3WKFn3x0


Jim R
Collierville, TN

N7155H--1946 Piper J-3 Cub
N3368K--1946 Globe GC-1B Swift
N4WJ--1994 Van's RV-4