New Super D Owner with a Question

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PilotKris

Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2025
Messages
8
Location
So Cal
Hi Everyone,

I just bought an all original (paint, fabric, engine, avionics) 1978 8KCAB that is in remarkable condition (considering). One question (1st of many I'm sure):

There are 2 warning-style lights on the panel, one amber and one blue. What do they indicate?

They are not labeled and there is no mention of them in the Airplane Flight Manual nor can I even find them in the schematic in the Maintenance Manual. I believe the amber is low alternator output (based on behavior) and I vaguely recall (from 25 years ago) from my tailwheel checkout in the 8KCAB that the blue light had something to do with the inverted fuel system. Am I on the right track?
 
Where in SoCal?
My experience is all in 1970s Decs, and I have never seen either.
 
PilotKris said:
Hi Everyone,

I just bought an all original (paint, fabric, engine, avionics) 1978 8KCAB that is in remarkable condition (considering). One question (1st of many I'm sure):

There are 2 warning-style lights on the panel, one amber and one blue. What do they indicate?

They are not labeled and there is no mention of them in the Airplane Flight Manual nor can I even find them in the schematic in the Maintenance Manual. I believe the amber is low alternator output (based on behavior) and I vaguely recall (from 25 years ago) from my tailwheel checkout in the 8KCAB that the blue light had something to do with the inverted fuel system. Am I on the right track?
Click to expand...

Hello Kris and thanks for joining us here at the internet's only free forum dedicated to Champs, Citabrias, and Decathlons! And, we won't ever sell your personal information or surveil you with your own devices because I have no idea how to do that!

OK, shameless plug having been said, what's that other light doing during normal ops? If it's original to the plane the bulb may be burned out but I'm willing to guess it's a low oil pressure light. You could either chase the wires back to wherever they came from to see if there's a sensor or something driving the on/off of the light or just replace the bulb and see if/when it comes on. If it's on before engine start and off as the oil pressure rises, that would be your answer.
 
Here is a picture of the panel and the 2 lights I was talking about. I'm asking here because I would prefer not to go on a wild-goose-chase tracking down wires.

Low Oil Pressure should be a red, not amber light.
 

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If they came from the factory they would be labeled. I think somebody modified your panel - you have, apparently, a glide slope. Maybe the blue light is a marker beacon?

The top cover comes off easily - wires are then trivial to trace.
 
Bob Turner said:
If they came from the factory they would be labeled. I think somebody modified your panel - you have, apparently, a glide slope. Maybe the blue light is a marker beacon?

The top cover comes off easily - wires are then trivial to trace.
Click to expand...
It's possible (but unlikely) that this plane had the exact same modification as the plane I flew 25 years ago, but there should be a logbook entry to go with it (which I have not found).

Ignoring that an IFR Decathlon is an oxymoron, there should be 3 marker beacon lights (Blue/Amber/White), not just 2. If this plane actually has a MB receiver (but I have not located a MB antenna), it would be located in and displayed on the Narco NAV 122 (shown in the lower right in the picture). It would serve no purpose to also install (only 2) external indicators.

Also, their observed behavior doesn't match MBs. Amber flashed intermittently at low RPM and Blue is illuminated most of the time regardless of RPM.

This is an 180HP 8KCAB with the Christian inverted system so no electrical components (unlike the 150HP or 7KCAB)
 
I'd love for someone to have an answer for you but indicator lights are not very common in these planes. If you really want to know what they are, chasing wires seems to be your only choice.
 
Well chasing wires is what I did.

Turns out it is a voltage monitor mounted within an old style 35mm film container (hadn't seen one of those in 20+ years). I was going to keep it but it was ty-rapped to the fuel pressure line and I discovered that it had overheated and melted. Into the trash it went (along with the gyros, vacuum system and all nav avionics and associated wiring).
Much simpler and cleaner panel now.
 
You should have given those instruments to a deserving kid, instead of trashcanning them. They look quite good.
 
I'll sleep better tonight knowing another Super D has been stripped of its vacuum instruments! lol

Glad it worked out for you, time to go get upside down!
 
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