Questions tagged [feature-identification]
For questions about identifying a feature or design on an aircraft.
226
questions
2
votes
1answer
272 views
Does F-35 flight stick have a trackball?
There is a trackball-looking thing on the side of F-35's side stick.
What is this? Is this actually a trackball?
There is also another round looking "button", although a bit different from ...
21
votes
1answer
2k views
What is the shiny stripe around the aft wing–body fairing on an A380?
Source: planespotters.net: 1, 2
Regardless of the airline, that part is always unpainted, and in the right conditions, it looks shiny. From below the plane, it wraps around the wing–body fairing.
Is ...
3
votes
1answer
179 views
What is this stripe on the windshield of the Embraer E-Jet?
I noticed that there is a stripe along the upper edge of both forward windshields in the Embraer E-Jets:
(cropped from Wikimedia)
I tried to find a better picture, but couldn't find anything closer. ...
10
votes
1answer
4k views
What are the random, differently-coloured rectangular patches on the top of this Boeing 737's fuselage?
The top section of this green-painted Boeing 737's fuselage was slightly faded and I noticed a few dark-green, rectangular patches on its top. They look like patch kits on a bicycle tyre's inner tube. ...
11
votes
1answer
3k views
What is that yellow square to the right of the main entry door of this Lufthansa A350?
My question is: is it just part of the paint job, or does this yellow square serve a purpose? I haven't seen this square on any other airlines.
17
votes
2answers
4k views
What are these bars on an F-16's nose?
I've always wondered what the purpose of these "bars" on the nose of the F-16 (and some other military aircraft) are. Are they sensors (if so, what kind)? Are they lightning strips? I can't ...
6
votes
1answer
221 views
What is this strange thing under Tu-95 which looks like a horse-fly's eye?
I was seeing this photo and saw an strange thing under the bomber. Too much looks like a compound eye. What could be it?
3
votes
1answer
175 views
What's the name of this part of combustion chamber and what is it for?
There are two "excrescences" Near the end of diffuser of some combustion chambers. e.g. CFM56 and F101
What's the name of this part of combustion chamber and what is it for?
1
vote
0answers
88 views
What's this outlet of IAE V2500 for? [duplicate]
Anybody knows what is this outlet for and why it is designed in such way?
Edit: On MD-90 didn't see such thingy
8
votes
1answer
655 views
What's this part on the wing of BAE Systems Avro 146-RJ100?
It was always a question that what's this part on the wing of BAE Systems Avro 146-RJ100:
Is it kinda aerodynamic component?
1
vote
2answers
138 views
Is this new intake of Airbus and Boeing aircraft's NACA inlet?
Anybody knows the name of this intake? look at the bellow images:
Why don't Airbus and Boeing use the conventional NACA inlet? Why did they invent this kind of intake? I can see some parts of these ...
1
vote
0answers
48 views
What are these two circular areas on the fuslage of Fokker 100? [duplicate]
There are two circular areas on the fuslage of Fokker 100 which are shown in the bellow image. What are those? Why are the above these two areas written "do not paint"?
2
votes
1answer
296 views
Does anyone recognise this jet engine?
sorry for the terrible quality, it's what I've got. I've not been able to find anything looking like it using google image search. It looks too detailed for a random bit of clip art.
Possibly around ...
0
votes
0answers
60 views
Why do some aircraft series have an extra window? [duplicate]
Take a look at these two Boeing 717s, in some cases they have an extra window. why?
Another instance. Boeing 737:
4
votes
1answer
217 views
What is this intake bottom the wing of C-5 and why is it placed there?
There are two intakes bottom the wings of C-5. What are those and why are they placed there?
12
votes
1answer
1k views
What is this hole above the intake of engines of Mil helicopters?
Almost all the helicopters designed and manufactured by Mil have a hole above the intake. e.g.
What is it for? APU? Other helicopters made by this company:
4
votes
1answer
344 views
What are these crevices below the wing of B-52 bomber?
What are these crevices below the wing of B-52 bomber?
23
votes
3answers
3k views
What is this part which is mounted on the wing of Embraer ERJ-145?
Take a look at the yellow parts which are mounted on the wing of an Embraer ERJ-145. What is it?
Two closer images:
From bottom:
10
votes
1answer
2k views
What is this part of an aircraft (looks like a long thick pole sticking out of the back)?
On the website of Kenn Borek Air (an airline specializing in Arctic / Antarctic operations), on this page at the bottom, you can see the following picture:
It looks like a long thick pole sticking ...
17
votes
2answers
3k views
What is this turbine engine panel that opens on landing?
Tonight I flew from Munich to Dortmund on an A319 and I happened to sit just above the wings and turbine on the right side. Upon landing, the turbine opened a window or panel which exposed some grid ...
17
votes
2answers
5k views
Are these two objects in cockpit of Antonov - AN 225 Mriya fans for air? What is their purpose?
In the above image, we can see two black objects that look like ceiling fans. This is just a reference image, but I am pretty sure that I have also seen small table fans mounted in cockpits of large ...
23
votes
1answer
4k views
What is this strut in biplane rigging, attached only to wires, not bearing any load?
A few biplanes like the Stearman have a strut parallel to the fuselage, halfway along the rigging's landing wires and flying wires, not fastened to the airframe, not bearing any obvious load. One on ...
2
votes
2answers
230 views
What is that wire connecting [duplicate]
What is that wire connecting the tail fin to the fuselage in beechcraft 1900 and so many other airplanes
30
votes
1answer
4k views
What are these Lights on the Center Column between Cockpit Windows on the A320?
I have always noticed there is what appears to be three lights on the center column, which separates the pilot and copilot window of the Airbus A320 family. From the looks, the center light is red and ...
5
votes
1answer
258 views
What is this part on the Me 262?
I have seen this part on a me 262 model kit but I don't know what it is... I've make some research on it but I find nothing! Maybe it can be radar, or a weapon? Do you know what is this? And also its ...
25
votes
6answers
8k views
What's this black rectangle painted on the side of a V-1 flying bomb?
A friend sent me a photo of the V-1 flying bomb on display at the Air Zoo in Kalamazoo. What's the black painted rectangle on the side of the fuselage?
The writing isn't much help... Nicht auftreten ...
4
votes
2answers
3k views
16
votes
2answers
12k views
What are the bumps in the F-22 Raptor wing for?
As you can see in the picture there are several bulges or bumps in the wing that are located in the aileron and flaps. Somebody told me these are to hide the linear actuator, pushrod, and control horn....
0
votes
1answer
279 views
What are the names of the antennas which I have marked in this picture of a Boeing 737?
I have taken the picture from PMDG 737NGX Microsoft flight simulator X. I am really curious to know what this antennas are. These antennas are behind the nose gear.
11
votes
1answer
1k views
What is this thing on a FDX MD11 (MD10?)?
I assume something forward looking; not sure why there and how they got this to play nicely with radar
0
votes
1answer
147 views
1
vote
2answers
467 views
Why does the IL-76 have a lump at the bottom of its nose?
Why does the IL-76 have this lump at the bottom of its nose?
Why can't it be gotten rid of?
7
votes
1answer
585 views
What is this metal piece sticking up on the roof of a 182?
My CFI and I were stumped as to what the purpose of this metal piece is on the roof of a 182. I couldn't find anything from searching Cessna POHs/docs online... Any ideas?
Here is a close-up:
1
vote
1answer
369 views
What is this part on a Cessna 172 engine?
Can any one tell me what this tube with the red is? This is a photo of a 1977 Cessna 172 engine. Looks like the tube is directly connected to the top of the crankshaft.
10
votes
1answer
385 views
What is this extension at the tip of the Supermarine Southampton's wing?
Looking at this Wikipedia image of the Supermarine Southampton flying boat, I noticed what at first looked like a small wheel. But then I thought it couldn't be, as a wheel would be pointless in a ...
2
votes
1answer
198 views
2
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1answer
225 views
What is this long Bar/Rod on the Boeing MH-47G? [duplicate]
This MH-47G has a thick, long rod at the bottom left front. What's the purpose of this thing?
0
votes
1answer
1k views
What is this mysterious thing on the vertical stabilizer of the Boeing 707?
Have you ever seen this mysterious line-shaped thing on the vertical stabilizer of a Boeing 707 or 720? What purpose does this thing do?
3
votes
1answer
325 views
What is this little strake on Cessna 182 vertical tail?
can somebody explain what is the reason of mounting this little horizontal strake on a Cessna 182 vertical tail?
16
votes
1answer
2k views
What is the asymmetric feature on the rear of a Sukhoi Su-47?
I saw this part on the rear of the Sukhoi Su-47 Berkut, and I can see that it is asymmetric. Is it maybe for interference, or is it a take-off aid because the Su-47 is a STOL plane?
What is it and ...
0
votes
1answer
113 views
What's this prominience in the B737? [duplicate]
I have recovered some spotting pictures that I made long ago and I came to realize an upper prominence in the fuselage of this Norwegian Boeing 737. I don't remember to have seen it in other 737s.
...
1
vote
1answer
160 views
What is this device on the nose of an MD-11? [duplicate]
In the following photo there is some sort of cover or opening (for an optical device I assume) on the nose cone.
What is this and what is the system behind it?
(link to source)
2
votes
1answer
165 views
1
vote
1answer
367 views
What is that A340 cockpit panel on the glareshield?
I want to know the panel's name and how it works. This picture is an Iberia Airbus A340-600
4
votes
1answer
340 views
What Is this on the fuselage of The Fokker F100? [duplicate]
What Is this on the fuselage of The Fokker F100?
3
votes
1answer
228 views
7
votes
1answer
1k views
What is this object on the tail of an F-16?
Source: skytamer.com
What is the object on the tail of this F-16 (next to the serial number)?
13
votes
1answer
2k views
What are these small engine inlets on the Super Hornet?
Does anyone know what these two small variable inlets on top of the engines are used for on the Super Hornet?
Source: navy.mil; cropped
10
votes
3answers
4k views
What is the piece that covers the top part of tires?
I would like to know the name and the usefulness of this piece that covers the top of the tire of some planes, such as some Cessnas.
6
votes
1answer
335 views
Why does Google's Wing drone have dimples?
The question What operational aspects of Alphabet's Wing drone delivery service will be the same as that of an airline? includes a cropped photo of a google drone from FAA Certifies Google's Wing ...
