Welcome Guest. Sign in or Signup

7 Answers

Removing Rotating Beacon

Asked by: 9188 views FAA Regulations

According to 91.209, if you have a rotating beacon system installed, it must be operating

No pilot may.... (b) Operate an aircraft that is equipped with an anticollision light system, unless it has lighted anticollision lights. However, the anticollision lights need not be lighted when the pilot-in-command determines that, because of operating conditions, it would be in the interest of safety to turn the lights off.

 

According to 91.205, the aircraft is not required to have an anti-collision light system if it was manufactured prior to March 11th 1996

 

Is it legal to remove the anti-collision lighting system of an aircraft manufactured in 1975 that was certified through part 23, for both day and night VFR and IFR. 

Aircraft after 1971 need to have an anti-collision light to fly at night, according to 91.205

The purpose is that the beacon became inop, and the parts to replace it are scarce and will take a long time to replace. Is it possible to remove the entire system to make it a legal airplane for day VFR flight?

Ace Any FAA Written Test!
Actual FAA Questions / Free Lifetime Updates
The best explanations in the business
Fast, efficient study.
Pass Your Checkride With Confidence!
FAA Practical Test prep that reflects actual checkrides.
Any checkride: Airplane, Helicopter, Glider, etc.
Written and maintained by actual pilot examiners and master CFIs.
The World's Most Trusted eLogbook
Be Organized, Current, Professional, and Safe.
Highly customizable - for student pilots through pros.
Free Transition Service for users of other eLogs.
Our sincere thanks to pilots such as yourself who support AskACFI while helping themselves by using the awesome PC, Mac, iPhone/iPad, and Android aviation apps of our sponsors.

7 Answers



  1. Kris Kortokrax on May 19, 2014

    91.205 (c)(3) states:
    “An approved aviation red or aviation white anticollision light system on all U.S.-registered civil aircraft.”

    You will notice the period at the end of that statement. For night flight, an anticollision light system is required.

    The March 11, 1996 date refers to day VFR.
    The August 10&11, 1971 dates refer to the standards that must be met for the anticollision light system.

    There must be an anticollision light system installed, so no you cannot remove it.

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  2. snowpilot on May 20, 2014

    Even if the flight is during the day?

    Im on your side, trying to play devils advocate, as my colleagues are not on my side at the moment.

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  3. Kris Kortokrax on May 20, 2014

    Can we get a little more specific? What airplane are you talking about?

    I fly a 1928 WACO Taperwing that has no rotating beacon installed. It has no electrical system and never had a rotating beacon. No problem.

    If you are talking about a Lear 35, you quite likely could not remove it.

    If you are talking about Cessna 172, Piper Warrior type aircraft, look at the equipment list. If it is required equipment, you can’t remove it.

    You appear to be seeking a generic answer to a question which must be considered in the context of a specific aircraft.

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  4. snowpilot on May 20, 2014

    Specifically–

    A Cessna 172M manufactured in 1975, that had a beacon malfunction a few days ago. The Cessna 172 had an anti-collision lighting system installed after 1975 manufacture date. The POH says that the aircraft is airworthy for both day and night VFR and IFR, so therefore it must have an anti-collision lighting system since it can legally fly at night. 91.209 states that if the system is installed, it must be in use anytime the aircraft is operated. Does 91.209 apply to this aircraft, since the system was after-market? (I would think it does, but I’m not positive) and cna this aircraft fly with the anticollision system not working, even if it was placarded inop via 91.213 (though, at the moment this is not the case). 91.213 refers to 91.205, but not 91.209 as a list of what must be operating. The Cessna of 1975 does not have an equipment list that would specify whether is is required equipment or not, due to the age of the aircraft..

    More details if needed, I dont know why this question has me so wrapped up.
    thanks for the help, Kris

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  5. snowpilot on May 20, 2014

    I take that back, 91.213 says “or any other rule of this part”

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  6. Kris Kortokrax on May 21, 2014

    I have looked at several POHs (Malibu, Bonanza, Cutlass). The Cutlass POH contains an equipment list which shows the beacon is optional equipment. The Malibu and Bonanza each have a Kinds of Operations list in the Limitation section. They each require the beacon for night flight.

    91.209 does not deal with requiring equipment to be installed. It merely requires that if the anticollision light system is installed, that it be operated, unless safety dictates otherwise.

    91.205 requires the anticollision light for night flight.

    91.213 allows for operating an aircraft (which does not have an MEL) with inoperative equipment. One could follow the procedures in 91.213(d) and operate the aircraft during the day with an inoperative beacon.

    Why would one wish to remove the beacon? The aircraft could be operated during the day with the beacon inoperative and when it is fixed the aircraft would be legal to operate day or night.

    +1 Votes Thumb up 1 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  7. Cliff Noble on Jul 10, 2015

    Can a Cessna172SP manufactured in 1999 be legally flown in the daytime on an IFR flight with inoperative beacon light while waiting on a replacement beacon light? The beacon light had “exploded.” No short or open is detected in the electrical system.

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes


The following terms have been auto-detected the question above and any answers or discussion provided. Click on a term to see its definition from the Dauntless Aviation JargonBuster Glossary.

Answer Question

Our sincere thanks to all who contribute constructively to this forum in answering flight training questions. If you are a flight instructor or represent a flight school / FBO offering flight instruction, you are welcome to include links to your site and related contact information as it pertains to offering local flight instruction in a specific geographic area. Additionally, direct links to FAA and related official government sources of information are welcome. However we thank you for your understanding that links to other sites or text that may be construed as explicit or implicit advertising of other business, sites, or goods/services are not permitted even if such links nominally are relevant to the question asked.