Eindecker Weight Loss

Time to fix the Eindecker electricals and remove the “dead weight” radio. But first a blast around in the RV for half an hour…I had done my required one hour with an instructor the day before and needed to get rid of the stink of Cessna.

Wing overs, steep turns, a practise forced landing and a general wazz about, followed by a crosswind landing in blustery conditions. The aircraft explored the width of the runway while I tried to get it slowed down. Not to worry, we just practise on narrower and narrower runways until I get it right!

The upper winds were quite brisk, leading to an impressive ground speed readout on the GPS at one point:

With the RV back in the hangar, it was time for tools out and investigate behind the Eindecker panel. This is a little convoluted as it requires the removal of the cockpit rim edge leather to get to the screws underneath. This takes most of the time as the lacing has to be undone, then the leather peeled back, then the pipe insulation foam removed and finally the edging strip. After that it’s about 10 screws to undo and the panel slides out:

The cause of the alternator charging problem was quickly apparent: there was a loose connection on the rear end of the ignition switch. Reconnected again and crimped slightly to make sure it doesn’t fall off again, all it needs is a ground run to confirm it is working.

With the panel off it was an easy matter to undo the four mounting screws and slide the radio out, manoeuvring it to disconnect the aerial and connector at the back:

Then to the locker to languish on the shelf…it actually doesn’t weigh very much (416g) so there’s not going to be a massive boost in performance after all. One burger and chips from the soon-to-reopen airfield café will cancel that out…

The one improvement is that I can now connect the aircraft aerial to the handheld radio using the cable that is now free:

The aircraft aerial with its tuned length and ground plane plate (all hidden in the rear fuselage) should be much more efficient that the “rubber duck” style aerial on the handheld:

And just in case you’re wondering, the term “handheld” does not apply when we are floating around at 500ft over Perthshire on patrol daydreaming of Snoopy and the Red Baron; when flying the radio is clipped into a mount on the left side of the cockpit with the press to talk button within easy reach of the throttle hand.

The handheld also comes along in the RV as a backup emergency radio, but its main function is primary radio in the Eindecker.

Radio in an Eindecker. What would Snoopy think…?

Snoopy is not amused

p.s Cessnas are great, really!