Mike:

I apologize for the delay; I just got back from a mini-vacation. No flying,
just driving, hiking and biking.

The Type Certificate info can be found at:
http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory...keModel.nsf/Ma
inFrame?OpenFrameSet

For regulations regarding the lighting requirements, go to:
http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory...visoryCircular
..nsf/1ab39b4ed563b08985256a35006d56af/94d4758b3f48035186256bf40064457d/$FILE
/AC20-30B.pdf

You may have to cut & paste the addresses, but this should get you close.

To address the legal vs. advisable issue: You are correct, Ray, in that
what's legal may not be a great idea. However... If I log 5 hours of night
flying in the next 10 years, I'll be amazed. I have logged zero in the last
9 years. I also tend to fly in un-congested, low-use airspace in rural
Minnesota, and will make forays into the wilds of South Dakota. I also tend
to inhabit airspace close to the ground, as Champs are low, slow fliers. I
appreciate your concern, but also feel it to be misplaced. I know more about
my flying that you do.

Jon B.

"Michael C Finke" wrote in message
...
Jon,

Would you mind posting the precise directions to the material on the FAA
website that answered this question for
you? I'm in a 1950 Pacer, same story, and haven't been able to find the
specific language that would make me
legal.

Thanks,
Mike

Grandpa B. (never.mind) wrote:
: Dang it! I deleted all the old messages from the newsgroup, and can't
post a
: follow-up in the existing thread. Double-dang!

: Anyway, here's the answer to my own question about whether my Champ
project
: needs to have anti-collision lighting installed.

: Short answer: No.

: Not-so-short answer: The official FAA Type certificate is currently
owned by
: American Champion Aircraft, of Rochester, Wisconsin (I knew that). The
: certificate was issued according to Aircraft Specification A-759, which
has
: all the old and current Champ-derived airframe types. Mine rolled off
the
: Champion assembly line in April of 1958, which was after the requirement
for
: lights, BUT, the type certificate was issued on March 27, 1957! That's
good
: news, as the requirement for anti-collision lighting states that, prior
to
: April 01, 1957, no anti-collision lighting is required. Under the wire
by 3
: (or 4) days, depending on how you count.

: Now, does that mean it isn't a Good Idea to have strobes on an old
aircraft?
: Of course not! My night-time flying will be rare, though, and if I don't
: gotta have 'em, I just might not install 'em.

: By the way, I learned all this from the official FAA website, which has
: everything you can possibly care about (and a lot you don't) on it.

: Jon B.



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