Wing Tip Strobes

bobcbobc
in General Discussion
Which year did Piper start including wing tip strobes as standard equipment on GA planes, such as PA-28s?

Thanks,

--Bob

Comments

  • flyguydonflyguydon
    Not certain when, but it seems that they did it the same time they began putting the landing lights in the tips. The white rear NAV light is in the wings now too. I think about 1998 but I am not certain. One 2001 Archer I work on has all that for sure.
  • bobcbobc
    There's a 1981 PA28-161 at KRNT that has strobes and the landing light is in the cowl. I think it's a factory job because the power switch matches all the others.

    Thanks for replying!
  • JoeBJoeB
    Your use of the term "standard" has us confused. Aircraft manufacturers use it the way car makers used to: you got the "standard" airframe and then you added options (and weight). The wingtip strobes are factory-installed options in my '89 Toga and were in my '81 Dakota.

    In 1994 "New Piper" came out of bankrupcy and said all these options are ridiculous. They picked a basket of options, took away most other choices, and that became the new "standard". About the only things left to pick were color and avionics. I've no documentation but I'd bet a steak dinner that's when the wingtip strobes became standard.

    Alas, I've no idea what year Piper first introduced strobes as factory options. I remember someone being scared of the strobes during a night landing in '82 thinking it was something sparking - so strobes were relatively new in aviaiton then. I'd guess they were introduced sometime in the late seventies.
  • bobcbobc
    Thanks Joe!

    --Bob
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