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If you look at the below image:

Pilatus PC-6 with three "antennas"
(image source: Wikimedia Commons)

There are three "antennas" mounted on the forward portion of the cabin roof. The two rear, wing-shaped ones probably are the COM1/2 antennas, but I'm clueless as to what the the straight vertical tube (circled in red) mounted directly behind the windshield could be. Can anyone tell me what it is ?

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  • $\begingroup$ Close-up pictures of the object in question: i0.wp.com/modeltalking.hobbyart.sk/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/… In all pictures I could find, it is painted in the same color as the fuselage, which leads me to believe it is not in fact an antenna. $\endgroup$
    – Wasserwaage
    Commented Sep 7, 2022 at 4:26
  • $\begingroup$ thanks @Wasserwaage for the picture and the bounty ! :) I don't think it's an antenna either, but I didn't know how to better describe it. $\endgroup$
    – TheEagle
    Commented Sep 7, 2022 at 17:11
  • $\begingroup$ The pictures of older PC-6 models here: pc-6.com/portergallery.htm show this object mounted on planes manufactured way before 2003, which was apparently the first year that ADS-B was used in general aviation: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/… $\endgroup$
    – Wasserwaage
    Commented Sep 8, 2022 at 10:20

1 Answer 1

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The vertical tube on top of the cabin is the fuel system vent mast:

axonometry

item list

schematic

Pictures are taken from an online copy of Royal Australian Air Force Pilatus Porter Flight Manual, Australian Air Publication 7211.001-1

cover

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    $\begingroup$ Almost posted a guess to that effect! Then figured "no, an airplane with wing tanks probably won't be vented at the centerline"-- wrong! $\endgroup$
    – quiet flyer
    Commented Oct 4, 2022 at 16:16
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    $\begingroup$ I was sure it had to be either some weird static port mast, or a fuel vent. Oddly enough it's not easy to find PC-6 POHs online despite it being such an long lived and common plane. $\endgroup$
    – Jpe61
    Commented Oct 4, 2022 at 16:29
  • $\begingroup$ ooooh, the fuel vent … thank you very much ! :) How do I award the bounty ? There's no bounty award button as mentioned in the help article ! :( $\endgroup$
    – TheEagle
    Commented Oct 4, 2022 at 21:29
  • $\begingroup$ @quietflyer oh okay, thanks ! $\endgroup$
    – TheEagle
    Commented Oct 4, 2022 at 21:55
  • $\begingroup$ @Programmer You don't get to award the bounty. Since qq jkztd started the bounty, they will be able to award it. The button is under the checkmark (only visible to qq jkztd at the moment). $\endgroup$
    – Bianfable
    Commented Oct 5, 2022 at 17:48

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