A500A-V28 - Whelen White Combination Strobe Tail Navigation Light 28 Volt 0.9 Amp

A500A-V-28 – Whelen White Combination Strobe Tail Navigation Light

Available now on the Airparts.aero Marketplace.

Overview

The Whelen A500A-V-28 is a flight-critical, TSO-certified all-LED white combination tail strobe and position light. This is not a legacy system with replaceable bulbs; it is a fully integrated, solid-state unit engineered by Whelen Aerospace Technologies to provide both aft-facing position lighting and omnidirectional anti-collision strobe lighting from a single, aerodynamically efficient housing. Designed for the tail cone or top of the vertical stabilizer on 28-volt aircraft, the A500A-V-28 offers a dramatic increase in reliability, a significant reduction in power consumption, and a service life that far exceeds older xenon and incandescent technologies.

This advanced lighting assembly is fundamental to the aircraft's visibility and safety, ensuring compliance with all FAA requirements for night and reduced-visibility flight. As a genuine Whelen component, it guarantees the certified light intensity, color, and flash characteristics required for airworthy operation.

Key Features

• All-LED Solid-State Technology: Utilizes high-flux, aviation-grade Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) for both the white position light and the white anti-collision strobe. With no fragile filaments or xenon tubes to break or burn out, this solid-state design is exceptionally resistant to vibration and provides a service life rated in the tens of thousands of hours.

• Dual-Function, TSO-Certified: Integrates two essential, independently certified lights into a single assembly:

  1. Anti-Collision Strobe: A high-intensity, omnidirectional white strobe light.

     
     

     
     

  2. Position Light: A steady-burning, aft-facing white navigation light.

• Massive Power Reduction: The highly efficient LEDs draw significantly less current than legacy systems. The entire A500A-V-28 assembly draws an average of less than 1 amp, a power savings of over 75% compared to a typical strobe/incandescent combination. This reduces the load on the alternator and electrical system.

• Self-Contained Electronics: The strobe driver and power conversion circuitry are fully integrated within the sealed light assembly. This eliminates the need for a separate, heavy, high-voltage strobe power supply box, simplifying installation and reducing weight.

• Aerodynamic & Durable Housing: The entire assembly is housed in a durable, aerodynamically shaped polycarbonate lens and base, designed to minimize parasitic drag and withstand the harsh environmental conditions of flight.

Technical Specifications

• Part Number: A500A-V-28

• Component Type: LED Tail Strobe / Position Light Assembly

• Position: Aft / Tail

• Light Color: Aviation White (Position & Strobe)

• Lamp Technology: Light Emitting Diode (LED)

• Input Voltage: Designed for 28 VDC systems.

  
  

  
  

• Average Current Draw: 0.46 Amps

• Power Supply: Internal, self-contained.

• Certification: FAA TSO-C96a (Class II) and TSO-C30c (Type III)

Aircraft Compatibility

The Whelen A500A-V-28 is a premium OEM and retrofit lighting solution for a vast number of general aviation and corporate aircraft.

• Common Aircraft Platforms:

  • Textron Aviation (Cessna & Beechcraft): A popular upgrade for the entire piston and turboprop fleet.

  • Piper, Cirrus, Diamond, Mooney: Specified as factory equipment on many new aircraft and a common STC'd upgrade for legacy models.

  • Numerous experimental aircraft.

Applications

The A500A-V-28 is a flight-critical component for aircraft visibility, safety, and modernization:

• Night & IFR Operations: The position and strobe lights are mandatory for all night operations and are essential for visibility in IFR conditions.

• Collision Avoidance: The intense, crisp flash of the LEDs is significantly more conspicuous than legacy strobes, improving daytime and nighttime visibility.

• LED Upgrade: The premier solution for replacing older, high-maintenance, and power-hungry strobe and incandescent systems with modern, reliable, and efficient solid-state technology.

Why Choose A500A-V-28?

An aircraft's lighting system is one of its most important pieces of safety equipment. The Whelen A500A-V-28 offers a "fit-and-forget" solution, virtually eliminating the maintenance and reliability concerns of older systems. The massive reduction in current draw frees up valuable power for other avionics, and the incredible service life means you can fly with the confidence that your lights are operating at peak performance. For a simple, certified, and highly effective safety and reliability upgrade, the Whelen A500A-V-28 is the clear choice.

The Whelen A500A-V-28 represents a fundamental shift in aircraft lighting technology. Unlike xenon strobes, which require a high-voltage capacitor-discharge system, the A500A-V-28's strobe function is driven by an internal microprocessor and driver circuit. This circuit uses pulse-width modulation (PWM) to precisely control the current delivered to the high-power white LEDs, creating an intense, square-wave flash pattern that is exceptionally sharp and conspicuous. The position light circuit is a simple, steady-state driver for the white LEDs. This entire solid-state system operates on the aircraft's native 28 VDC, eliminating the heavy, inefficient, and radio-interfering high-voltage power supply required by older xenon systems. The result is a lighter, more efficient, and vastly more reliable lighting solution.

Note: This is a flight-critical lighting component. Installation must be performed by a certified A&P mechanic or avionics technician. While designed as a drop-in replacement for many legacy lights, always refer to the included STC and installation manual to ensure compliance with all airworthiness requirements.

Aircraft Eligibility

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