Everyone who complains simply doesn't "get it"
Landing/Taxi lights have no "minimum performance" requirements to meet. It's very simple to comply with §23.1383 Taxi and landing lights.
Each taxi and landing light must be designed and installed so that:
(a) No dangerous glare is visible to the pilots.
(b) The pilot is not seriously affected by halation.
(c) It provides enough light for night operations.
(d) It does not cause a fire hazard in any configuration.
Navigation (Position) lighting is a whole different ballgame and much more complex. It's very specific. You cannot replace the bulb in a nav light with any LED you want, no matter how hard you want to believe it.
§23.1385 Position light system installation.
(a) General. Each part of each position light system must meet the applicable requirements of this section and each system as a whole <think as installed> must meet the requirements of §§23.1387 through 23.1397. (this is the reason a TSO'ed LED replacement position light may not be drop in replacements from halogens, the TSO does not cover the regulations that the system must meet as installed)
(b) Left and right position lights. Left and right position lights must consist of a red and a green light spaced laterally as far apart as practicable and installed on the airplane such that, with the airplane in the normal flying position, the red light is on the left side and the green light is on the right side.
(c) Rear position light. The rear position light must be a white light mounted as far aft as practicable on the tail or on each wing tip.
(d) Light covers and color filters. Each light cover or color filter must be at least flame resistant and may not change color or shape or lose any appreciable light transmission during normal use.
§23.1387 Position light system dihedral angles.
(a) Except as provided in paragraph (e) of this section, each position light must, as installed, show unbroken light within the dihedral angles described in this section.
(b) Dihedral angle L (left) is formed by two intersecting vertical planes, the first parallel to the longitudinal axis of the airplane, and the other at 110 degrees to the left of the first, as viewed when looking forward along the longitudinal axis.
(c) Dihedral angle R (right) is formed by two intersecting vertical planes, the first parallel to the longitudinal axis of the airplane, and the other at 110 degrees to the right of the first, as viewed when looking forward along the longitudinal axis.
(d) Dihedral angle A (aft) is formed by two intersecting vertical planes making angles of 70 degrees to the right and to the left, respectively, to a vertical plane passing through the longitudinal axis, as viewed when looking aft along the longitudinal axis.
(e) If the rear position light, when mounted as far aft as practicable in accordance with §23.1385(c), cannot show unbroken light within dihedral angle A (as defined in paragraph (d) of this section), a solid angle or angles of obstructed visibility totaling not more than 0.04 steradians is allowable within that dihedral angle, if such solid angle is within a cone whose apex is at the rear position light and whose elements make an angle of 30° with a vertical line passing through the rear position light.
§23.1389 Position light distribution and intensities.
(a) General. The intensities prescribed in this section must be provided by new equipment with each light cover and color filter in place. Intensities must be determined with the light source operating at a steady value equal to the average luminous output of the source at the normal operating voltage of the airplane. The light distribution and intensity of each position light must meet the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section.
(b) Position lights. The light distribution and intensities of position lights must be expressed in terms of minimum intensities in the horizontal plane, minimum intensities in any vertical plane, and maximum intensities in overlapping beams, within dihedral angles L, R, and A, and must meet the following requirements:
(1) Intensities in the horizontal plane. Each intensity in the horizontal plane (the plane containing the longitudinal axis of the airplane and perpendicular to the plane of symmetry of the airplane) must equal or exceed the values in §23.1391.
(2) Intensities in any vertical plane. Each intensity in any vertical plane (the plane perpendicular to the horizontal plane) must equal or exceed the appropriate value in §23.1393, where I is the minimum intensity prescribed in §23.1391 for the corresponding angles in the horizontal plane.
(3) Intensities in overlaps between adjacent signals. No intensity in any overlap between adjacent signals may exceed the values in §23.1395, except that higher intensities in overlaps may be used with main beam intensities substantially greater than the minima specified in §§23.1391 and 23.1393, if the overlap intensities in relation to the main beam intensities do not adversely affect signal clarity. When the peak intensity of the left and right position lights is more than 100 candles, the maximum overlap intensities between them may exceed the values in §23.1395 if the overlap intensity in Area A is not more than 10 percent of peak position light intensity and the overlap intensity in Area B is not more than 2.5 percent of peak position light intensity.
(c) Rear position light installation. A single rear position light may be installed in a position displaced laterally from the plane of symmetry of an airplane if—
(1) The axis of the maximum cone of illumination is parallel to the flight path in level flight; and
(2) There is no obstruction aft of the light and between planes 70 degrees to the right and left of the axis of maximum illumination.
§23.1391 Minimum intensities in the horizontal plane of position lights.
Each position light intensity must equal or exceed the applicable values in the following table:
Dihedral angle (light included)Angle from right or left of longitudinal axis, measured from dead aheadIntensity (candles)L and R (red and green)0° to 10°
10° to 20°
20° to 110°40
30
5A (rear white)110° to 180°20
§23.1395 Maximum intensities in overlapping beams of position lights.
No position light intensity may exceed the applicable values in the following equal or exceed the applicable values in §23.1389(b)(3):
OverlapsMaximum intensityArea A (candles)Area B (candles)Green in dihedral angle L101Red in dihedral angle R101Green in dihedral angle A51Red in dihedral angle A51Rear white in dihedral angle L51Rear white in dihedral angle R51
Where—
(a) Area A includes all directions in the adjacent dihedral angle that pass through the light source and intersect the common boundary plane at more than 10 degrees but less than 20 degrees; and
(b) Area B includes all directions in the adjacent dihedral angle that pass through the light source and intersect the common boundary plane at more than 20 degrees.
§23.1397 Color specifications.
Each position light color must have the applicable International Commission on Illumination chromaticity coordinates as follows:
(a) Aviation red—
y is not greater than 0.335; and
z is not greater than 0.002.
(b) Aviation green—
x is not greater than 0.440−0.320y;
x is not greater than y−0.170; and
y is not less than 0.390−0.170x.
(c) Aviation white—
x is not less than 0.300 and not greater than 0.540;
y is not less than x−0.040 or y0−0.010, whichever is the smaller; and
y is not greater than x+0.020 nor 0.636−0.400x;
Where y0 is the y coordinate of the Planckian radiator for the value of x considered.
If your nav light alteration complies with all the rules above, then and only then, is it legal. This is why only IA's and mechanics are allowed to perform aircraft alterations. The older CAR aircraft are certificated pretty much identical to the part 23 rules as far as lighting goes.
