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Approval for night VFR

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fredoyster

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2012
Messages
333
Location
Monterey Bay, CA
There seem to be a few opinions about this, but I'm looking for actual experience of folks on HBA. E-AB aircraft are given operating limitations with a clause from 8130.2G that restricts operation to day VFR unless equipped in accordance with 91.205, which in turn requires "approved" position lights and an "approved" anticollision light system. 91.319 also requires flight other than day VFR to be "specifically authorized by the Administrator." Many believe that it's enough just to show in your records that your installation would meet the requirements but few can point to what those requirements are -- because there aren't any for E-AB. If you make the jump that your E-AB is closest to a Part 23 airplane, you can get applicable requirements from Part 23, and there is good guidance in AC 20-30B and AC 20-74 on how to do this.

Some airplane kit makers and light manufacturers maintain that installing some position and anticollision lights is enough. Some makers of lights point out that their anticollision lights meet the color and luminance requirements for TSO C96a Class I, but leaves it to the reader to look up that Class I is enough only for helicopters (Part 27.) New Part 23 fixed wing aircraft need 400 candela anticollision lights (Class II) while Class I is only 150. Aircraft certificated before 1971 need only meet Class III (100 candela) and there are some new lights TSO'd at that level.

FAA recently issued an interpretation that the builder should ask the FSDO to do this on a case-by-case basis. I haven't had that discussion with them yet, but wonder if anyone here actually has the approval required by 91.205 and 91.319 for their E-AB, and how it was done. Can a DAR do this, and on what basis would a prudent DAR give such approval?
 
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