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Aircraft Position Light and Anticollision Light Installations

AC 20-30B · FAA

Public domain · FAAAdvisory Circulars

Overview

The Aircraft Position Light and Anticollision Light Installations (AC 20-30B) is a public-domain FAA advisory circular, republished here as a free chaptered HTML edition with a linked table of contents and the official PDF.

Publisher
FAA
Document
AC 20-30B
Pages
13
Chapters
2

Key points

  • This advisory circular outlines acceptable means of compliance with Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) for aircraft position lights and anticollision lights.
  • AC 20-30B cancels the previous advisory circular AC 20-30A dated April 18, 1968.
  • Airworthiness regulations specify minimum intensities, light distribution, overlap limits, and allowable obstructions for position and anticollision lights.
  • Measurements for compliance can be made on actual aircraft or through appropriate scale drawings.
  • Anticollision light installations approved prior to August 11, 1971, may be duplicated on similar aircraft without being considered initially installed.
Frequently asked questions
What is the purpose of AC 20-30B?

The purpose of AC 20-30B is to set forth acceptable means of showing compliance with the FAR applicable to installed position lights and anticollision lights.

What does AC 20-30B cancel?

AC 20-30B cancels the previous advisory circular AC 20-30A dated April 18, 1968.

What are the related FAR sections mentioned in the document?

The related FAR sections include Sections 1385 through 1401 of FAR Parts 23, 25, 27, and 29, as well as Sections 33 and 73 of FAR Part 91.

How are measurements for compliance typically conducted?

Measurements of intensity, light distribution, and light color are normally made under laboratory conditions before installation.

What is the significance of the term 'initially installed' in the context of anticollision lights?

The term 'initially installed' refers to new installations based on newly-approved design data or any installation that includes a major change as defined in FAR 21.93(a).

Appendix 1

7/20/81 AC 20-30B Appendix 1

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TABLE 1. OBSTRUCTION POINT ANGLES HORIZONTAL VERTICAL OBSTRUCTION POINT ANGLE ANGLE

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Wing/Fuselage 1 -7.5° 2 -7.0° 3 25° -5.5° 4 47° -7.5° 5 52° -12° 6 32° -13°

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7 -12° Strut Top Right -8.5° 22° Top Left 24° -9.0° Bottom Upper -22° Bottom Lower -23.5° Gear Front Right 12° -27° Front Left 15.5° -27° Rear Right 13° -30° Rear Left 16.5° -30°

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Gear Strut Top Front -24°

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'),, Top Rear -25° Bottom Front -2s.5° Bottom Rear -29.5° 13°

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Mask Top Centerline -10° (Positioned to Top Left 10° -10°

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eliminate Bottom Centerline -30° reflections from Bottom Left 10° -30° prop)

Next: Appendix 1 →

Appendix 1

AC 20-30B 7/20/81

Appendix 1

TABLE 2. OBSTRUCTION COUNT

zam SQUARE DEGREES

Point 1 to Point 2 159

Point 2 to Point 3 198

Point 3 to Point 4 132

Point 4 to Point 5 14

Total Grapi 503

Rudder 90

Total Left Side 593

TOI'AL AIRPIANE

Steradians: (1186/3284) = 0.36

(\

.......

FAR 23/CAR 3 TABLE :3.

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CXl

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I-' APPLICABLE INTENSITY VERTICAL COLOR FLASH LIGHT AMENDMENTS (CANDLES) COVERAGE SPECS. RATE OBSTRUCTION REMARKS

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1. Before 3-1 No Anticollision (4/1/57) Light Requirements 2. Thru 3-1 100 +30 Aviation Red 40-100 0.03 STER. Position of Allowable (4/1/57) overlap 180 0.15 STER. Obstruction Limited Aviation Red 3. Thru 3-7 100 +30 40-100 0.5 STER.

(5/3/62) overlap 180 4. Thru 23-11 400 +30 Aviation Red or 40-100 0.5 STER. New Aviation White (8/11/71) Aviation White overlap 180 Limits o.5 5. Thru 23-20 400 +75 Aviation Red or 40-100 STER.

( 9/1/77) Aviation White overlap 180 NOTE: 91.33(c)(3) of the FAR also applies to anticollision light installations and allows the color to be either aviation red or aviation white.

TABLE 4. FAR 25/CAR 4b I-' APPLICABLE INTENSITY VERTICAL COLOR FLASH LIGHT AMENDMENTS (CANDLES) COVERAGE SPECS. RATE OBSTRUCTION REMARKS 1. Before 4b-8 No Anticollision ( 5/16/53) Light Requirements 2. Thru 4b-8 If Used If Used If Used, On-Off ratio Aviation Red Not less than 1:75 (5/16/53) 40-100 If Used If Used If Used, On-Off ratio 3. Thru 4b-3 Aviation Red Not less than 1:75 ( 3/13/56) 40-100 If Extra Light Installed, No Flash Rate Limit in overlaps 4. Thru 4b-4 100 +30 Aviation Red 40-100 0.03 STER. Position of Allowable (4/1/57) overlap 180 0.15 STER. Obstruction Limited .......

New Aviation 5. Thru 25-27 400 +30 Aviation Red or 40-100 0.03 STER. White N ( 8/11/71) Aviation White overlap 180 0.15 STER. Limits (X)

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.....

6. Thru 25-41 400 +75 Aviation Red or 40-100 0.03 STER.

( 9/1/77) Aviation White overlap 180 0.15 STER.

and allows the to anticollision light installations FAR also applies NOTE: 91.33(c)(3) of the aviation red or aviation white.

color to be either

( (

......

N

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FAR 27/CAR 6 TABLE 5• ())

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.....

APPLICABLE INTENSITY VERTICAL COLOR FLASH LIGHT AMENDMENTS (CANDLES) COV ERAGE SPECS RATE OBSTRUCTION REMARKS

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1. Before Part 6 No Anticollision (4/1/57) Light Requirements 2. Thru 6-1 100 +30 Aviation Red 40-100 0.03 STER.

(4/1/57) overlaps Thru 6-5 Aviation Red 3. 100 +30 40-100 0.05 STER.

(5/3/62) overlaps 180 4. Thru 27-6 400 +30 Aviation Red or 40-100 0.5 STER New Aviation White (8/11/71) overlaps Aviation White 180 Limits 5. Thru 27-10 150 +30 Aviation Red STER.

40-100 0.5 Aviation White not (2/5/76) overlaps 180 acceptable and allows the anticolision light installations of the FAR also applies to NOTE: 91.33(c)(3) red or aviation white.

color to be either aviation

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to CD N :::i 0 0., I .... w >< 0 0:, I-' TABLE 6. FAR 29/CAR 7 INTENSITY VERTICAL COLOR FLASH LIGHT APPLICABLE AMENDMENTS (CANDLES) COVERAGE SPECS. RATE OBSTRUCTION REMARKS 1. Before Part 7 No Anticollision (8/1/56) Light Requirement 2. Adopt. Part 7 None None None None None Approved Anticollision Light Required Aviation :Red Position 3. Thru 7-1 100 +~u 40-100 0.03 STER. Obstruction (4/1/57) overlaps 180 Not limited >} C (/) Cl 4. Thru 7-5 100 +30 Aviation Red 40-100 0.5 STER.

< m (5/5/62) overlaps 180 "' z ;r:: m z --i ., "' z --i z 5. Thru 29-7 400 +30 Aviat.ion Red or 40-100 o.5 STER. New Aviation White Cl .,, Aviation White overlaps 180 Limits (8/11/71) .,, 1'i m Aviation 6. Thru 29-11 150 +30 Aviation Red 40-100 o.5 STER. White not (2/5/76) Overlaps 180 acceptable .......

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NOTE: 91.33(c)(3) of the FAR also applies to anticollision light installations and allows the color to be either aviation red or aviation white.

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I-'

Source & rights

Source: faa.gov. Public-domain U.S. Government work (17 USC §105) — freely reproducible.

View the official PDF at faa.govDownload PDF

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Document details

Doc number
AC 20-30B
Publisher
FAA
Pages
13
File size
455 KB
Chapters
2
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