diff --git a/ArduPlane/ArduPlane.pde b/ArduPlane/ArduPlane.pde
index 81cad81a3b..7766f57305 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/ArduPlane.pde
+++ b/ArduPlane/ArduPlane.pde
@@ -260,7 +260,6 @@ const	float gravity 			= 9.81;		// meters/ sec^2
 static long	nav_bearing;						// deg * 100 : 0 to 360 current desired bearing to navigate
 static long	target_bearing;						// deg * 100 : 0 to 360 location of the plane to the target
 static long	crosstrack_bearing;					// deg * 100 : 0 to 360 desired angle of plane to target
-static int		climb_rate;							// m/s * 100  - For future implementation of controlled ascent/descent by rate
 static float	nav_gain_scaler 		= 1;		// Gain scaling for headwind/tailwind TODO: why does this variable need to be initialized to 1?
 static long    hold_course       	 	= -1;		// deg * 100 dir of plane
 
diff --git a/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.pde b/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.pde
index cbaac08659..582319f142 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.pde
+++ b/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.pde
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ static void NOINLINE send_vfr_hud(mavlink_channel_t chan)
         (dcm.yaw_sensor / 100) % 360,
         (int)g.channel_throttle.servo_out,
         current_loc.alt / 100.0,
-        climb_rate);
+        0);
 }
 
 #if HIL_MODE != HIL_MODE_ATTITUDE
diff --git a/ArduPlane/climb_rate.pde b/ArduPlane/climb_rate.pde
index b7e6b81d74..5649a2fd5b 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/climb_rate.pde
+++ b/ArduPlane/climb_rate.pde
@@ -57,38 +57,3 @@ static void add_altitude_data(unsigned long xl, long y)
 }
 #endif
 
-#if 0 // unused
-static void recalc_climb_rate()
-{
-	float slope = ((float)xi*(float)yi - ALTITUDE_HISTORY_LENGTH*(float)xiyi) / ((float)xi*(float)xi - ALTITUDE_HISTORY_LENGTH*(float)xi2);
-	climb_rate = (int)(slope*100);
-}
-
-static void print_climb_debug_info()
-{
-	unsigned char i, j;
-	recalc_climb_rate();
-	//SendDebugln_P("Climb rate:");
-	for (i=0; i<ALTITUDE_HISTORY_LENGTH; i++) {
-		j = i + hindex;
-		if (j >= ALTITUDE_HISTORY_LENGTH) j -= ALTITUDE_HISTORY_LENGTH;
-		//SendDebug_P("  ");
-		//SendDebug(j,DEC);
-		//SendDebug_P(": ");
-		//SendDebug(history[j].x,DEC);
-		//SendDebug_P(", ");
-		//SendDebugln(history[j].y,DEC);
-	}
-	//SendDebug_P("  sum(xi) = ");
-	//SendDebugln(xi,DEC);
-	//SendDebug_P("  sum(yi) = ");
-	//SendDebugln(yi,DEC);
-	//SendDebug_P("  sum(xi*yi) = ");
-	//SendDebugln(xiyi,DEC);
-	//SendDebug_P("  sum(xi^2) = ");
-	//SendDebugln(xi2,DEC);
-	//SendDebug_P("  Climb rate = ");
-	//SendDebug((float)climb_rate/100,2);
-	//SendDebugln_P(" m/s");
-}
-#endif