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Antenna drag(?)

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Vidar Munkelien

I'm New Here
When reaching cruisespeed (140kts+/-) I get some noise in the cockpit that increases with speed. I'm pretty sure this relates to the antennas. The VHF sits just behind and between the legs, the ELT just behind the canopy (behind the baggage aft wall). Does any of you have some tip how to reduce or even remove this? LN-RHV, 160hp, Catto 3-blade.
 
I had the same trouble...

and finally determined it was the aft edge of the canopy skirt. I put some clear vinyl tape on it. Problem solved.
 
Try also seeing if yawing the aircraft left and right with the rudder changes the tone or intensity of the noise... but that may not have as much affect on the noise with the tip-over canopy of the -4 as it does with a slider canopy.

When we first flew the RV-8 in my avatar, we didn't yet have any any weatherstripping along the canopy skirt since it was the middle of summer and we weren't worried about sealing canopy air leaks yet.

In flight the rear portion of the canopy skirt made an awful racket vibrating against the turtledeck, that changed in pitch and intensity with rudder application and yawing the airplane. Sounded like the rudder was about to peel off the tail of aircraft, but it was the canopy skirt instead and a few dollars worth of stick-on rubber weatherstrip from the local hardware store silenced the noise!
 
Vidar Munkelien said:
When reaching cruisespeed (140kts+/-) I get some noise in the cockpit that increases with speed. I'm pretty sure this relates to the antennas. The VHF sits just behind and between the legs, the ELT just behind the canopy (behind the baggage aft wall). Does any of you have some tip how to reduce or even remove this? LN-RHV, 160hp, Catto 3-blade.
Click to expand...


A little off topic, what pitch is your Catto I have the same setup, just wanted to compare some number cruise climb etc thanks,Mark
 
I while since I checked this site, but I can see that other than me have made the same thoughts. I put some felt-gasket on the aft portion of the canopy, closing towards the fuselage. Maybe the most important was that a part of the tubular frame had contact with the fuselage skin. Put a thin felt-gasket between. Noice gone! It got warmer inside too, and we need that in winter-Norway...

Regarding Catto, I have a 3 blade, 66'' dia, 72''pitch.
Have approx 140kts at 2350-2400rpm at gross weight. Similar?

Thanks everyone!
 
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