A protective cover for a fuselage-mounted exterior aircraft light includes a fuselage-facing mounting side for mounting the protective cover to an exterior aircraft light housing or to an exterior skin of an aircraft; a light transmissive forward facing light emission surface; and an air deflection zone, which is shaped to direct a portion of an impinging air stream (A) along and over the forward facing light emission surface for shielding the forward facing light emission surface from the impinging air stream (A).