Questions tagged [feature-identification]
For questions about identifying a feature or design on an aircraft.
183
questions
2
votes
1answer
129 views
1
vote
1answer
262 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
309 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
165 views
7
votes
1answer
902 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
2answers
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.
4
votes
1answer
193 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 ...
13
votes
3answers
627 views
What are these pipes on an Avro Vulcan?
As you can see above, there are two small pipes next to the main engine exhausts on this Avro Vulcan(the one at Duxford). I'm curious what these pipes are/what they are for. Are they fuel dump pipes? ...
5
votes
1answer
231 views
What are these “portholes & panels” on the fuselage of the Omega Tanker DC-10?
If you take a look at the photo (source: still from this YouTube video), you'll notice a pair of "panels" on the fuselage of this Omega Tanker DC-10 (reg: N974VV), circled with green.
There is also ...
3
votes
3answers
454 views
Why does the UH-1 Huey have a hump at the rear of the cabin?
Why does the Huey have this weird hump as shown in the picture? For some system? Why not remove it?
https://www.helis.com/h2/uh-1h_seats.jpg
5
votes
1answer
273 views
What is the purpose of the air inlets on an A320neo's pylon (LEAP-1A)?
What is the purpose of the air inlets on an A320neo's pylon (LEAP-1A)? Passive cooling, air bleed like in the 707, or something else?
12
votes
1answer
1k views
What are these hooks and tassels on the nose?
What are the hooks and tassels hanging down from the nose of this aircraft?
9
votes
2answers
617 views
What is that pitot-like device under the left wing of the Cessna 152?
Source: tkaviation.net
I suspect it's related to the fuel system, but it's only found on the left wing (see the yellow circle, not the pitot-tube). I haven't been able to find the right keywords to ...
6
votes
1answer
443 views
What is the bulge under the engine of the Mirage III and some of its variants?
While attempting to create a Kfir in 3D modelling software, I noticed a bulge under the engine on the reference picture (a 2D side view) I was using, which I initially assumed to be a fin. After ...
3
votes
1answer
708 views
What is this Airbus A320 passager seat part?
I'm on a Airbus A320 anyone have any idea what the black part on the back of the passager seat is used for?
6
votes
1answer
177 views
What is the use of this object in the cockpit of a Bombardier Dash 8 Q400?
What is the use of this object in the cockpit of a Bombardier Dash 8 Q400?
34
votes
1answer
3k views
What's that in front of the overhead panel?
There is that thing I have see a few pilot using it. it can be pulled outside and then inside. what's that and what's the use of it?
5
votes
1answer
276 views
Can you identify this antenna on a Cessna 172N?
Does anybody know what this antenna is used for? I suspect a glideslope antenna but I am not totally sure.
42
votes
3answers
9k views
Why does the B-2 Spirit have a pattern of thin white lines?
Northrop Grumman's B-2 Spirit bomber is mostly black or dark grey, but has a symmetric pattern of distinctive, thin white lines painted on its wings and fuselage. I have not been able to find anything ...
7
votes
0answers
216 views
What are these blades on the engine cowling of a Wittman Tailwind?
The Florida Air Museum in Lakeland has a Wittman W-8 Tailwind with four wooden, propeller-like blades on the engine cowling:
Source: own work
What are the blades for? It's an experimental aircraft ...
14
votes
1answer
8k views
What is this hole on the left wing of the Eurofighter Typhoon?
I came across the picture below and saw the hole near the centerline on the left which appears to have some carbon next to it. What is its purpose and where does the carbon come from?
11
votes
1answer
635 views
What is the purpose of these movable panels on the MiG-35?
The MiG-35 has movable panels on the LERX (leading edge root extensions). There are a number of images around the web showing these panels deployed during slow flight and retracted otherwise.
When do ...
0
votes
0answers
83 views
What is that sharp thing on the wall of the air intake of the F-15? [duplicate]
What is that sharp thing on the wall of the air intake of the F-15?
-9
votes
1answer
171 views
What is this object name and how it works?
Photo is from here.
I believe that it something like steer on a car. But seems that it has function or control more than just turning left or right. Is any different between left and right?
11
votes
1answer
2k views
What are the bars protruding from this C-130?
This C-130 was photographed on approach to Ellington Field (EFD), Texas.
What are the protruding, truss-supported bars aft of and below the wing?
There's an airshow coming up in ~3 weeks at EFD, so ...
6
votes
2answers
229 views
What is the purpose of the vertical splitter and the NACA duct at the MQ-9 Reaper engine scoop?
The engine scoop/intake on the MQ-9 features a vertical splitter at the inlet face, as well as another smaller NACA duct on the top cowl surface just aft of the inlet lip.
I am guessing the former ...
7
votes
1answer
394 views
What is the device at the tail of the F-16 Block 60?
The F-16 Block 60 has a lot of advancements, one of which is the device at the tail. What is it?
For clarification, I believe all these vents (second image) are for said device.
30
votes
3answers
10k views
What is this gigantic dish at Ben Gurion airport?
As the title asks, what is this thing for? Have never seen anything like it at other airports I've been to.
12
votes
1answer
2k views
What is the purpose of the extending wingtip panels on the Su-25?
Is it to increase the air resistance of the aircraft?
Source: reddit.com
12
votes
1answer
736 views
Does the B-1B Lancer have controllable canards?
These three pictures shows the B-1B Lancer's canards and its elevators. I am not sure to call that feature a canard as the jet also has elevators. In my limited understanding, canard and elevator are ...
2
votes
1answer
251 views
What “jet engine” is featured in this ad that Simone Giertz made for a phone?
Simone Giertz's video "Having Dinner With a Jet Engine/Leaf Blower" has a number of views of the turbine, on a cart, with a ducted fan attached. This side view is the best view, in my opinion.
I put ...
3
votes
1answer
213 views
What is the function of activating an individual elevator on the B-1B Lancer?
This B-1B Lancer's picture I captured from this Youtube video. The control axes is from Wikipedia.
As we know, the three "conventional" axes are as follows:
Roll axis controlled by aileron,
Pitch ...
2
votes
0answers
138 views
What is the small openining on the bottom right of door 4R of an Airbus A321? [duplicate]
While observing taxiing A321 planes, I noticed that they had an open hatch-like opening on the bottom right of door 4R. I marked it here on a picture I found online.
I could not locate it in the ...
6
votes
1answer
384 views
What are these protruding things on this Russian military aircraft (MiG-31BM)?
See the video
In the video it is clear that the jet takes off and lands with all these 3 things "open/stretching out" (so it seems to fly just like that - not retracting them).
Here is Wiki on that ...
6
votes
1answer
3k views
What are these protruding elements from SU-27's tail?
I recently saw in person SU-27 belonging to the Ukrainian Air Force. I spotted some protruding elements from its tail and I'm wondering what are they called and what do they do?
6
votes
2answers
295 views
What's This Cable Connecting Cockpit to Vertical Stabilizer in Air Tractor AT-401?
This is a picture of an AT-401 Sprayer Airplane
I was wondering what's this steel-string stretching from cabin's windshield to the top of the vertical stabilizer
...
16
votes
1answer
8k views
What are these panels underneath the wing root of a A380?
What are these open panels underneath the wing root of a A380 (right above the person standing under the aircraft)? Are they ram air exhausts of the air conditioning packs?
13
votes
1answer
3k views
Why does this Strikemaster have a textured leading edge?
I was at Duxford recently, and spotted a Jet Provost Strikemaster that had a rough texture applied to a portion of the leading edge of the wing.
Why was this applied?
29
votes
1answer
9k views
What are those bumps on top of the Antonov-225?
What are those bumps on top of the Antonov-225? What are they for? And what are they called?
4
votes
1answer
2k views
What is this flat plate sticking out of the tail of Learjet 24D?
What is this protrusion on the tail of Learjet 24D (shown just above the avro museum logo) and what is its function?
Learjet 24D Tail closeup
Zoomed out image of the Learjet tail
Source: images ...
8
votes
1answer
625 views
What is this hole on the F-22 Raptor?
I noticed this little hole that is right in front of the cockpit window of the F-22 Raptor. In some photos, it seems to be closed, while in other photos, it's open.
Does anyone know (or think they ...
4
votes
1answer
161 views
How much can a plane benefit from another planes wake?
Could a smaller plane fly in a V formation behind a much larger plane to reduce fuel consumption significantly more than a plane its own size? At what point does flying in a larger planes wake become ...
2
votes
1answer
332 views
What is this square hole for? [duplicate]
When waiting to depart Edinburgh today I noticed a square hole (looked to be something that can be opened and closed) on the rear of the right side of the aircraft.
Never seen it before and no idea ...
29
votes
1answer
4k views
What is the metal bit in the front of this propeller spinner?
What is that grey spirally bit in front of the propeller mounted on this Shvetsov ASh-62 radial engine?
1
vote
1answer
151 views
What is the reason for the strips on the nose of the Embraer E175 [duplicate]
Recently I boarded a KLM flight with an Embraer E175, when I noticed the strips on the nose
(see image, marked with the black circle).
Own image
This Embraer E190 also has it:
Image source
...
6
votes
1answer
627 views
What’s the purpose of the small “hole” in front of wing root on A320-214?
Someone knows what’s the purpose of this little “hole”?
2
votes
1answer
391 views
Why does the F-4's rear seat have a weather scope eyepiece?
In the front seat. The pilot has a flat screen radar scope that shows both the planes and the weather.
But on the rear seat. The weather scope has an giant eyepiece. Perhaps glare protection?
(...
7
votes
2answers
369 views
What are the two blisters on F-35 upper wing surface?
For all of the F-35 models you can find pictures with and without a blister on the upper wing surface. I'm guessing that it is sensors for the missile warning system that were retrofitted later on, ...
5
votes
1answer
237 views
What is that Boeing 757 custom cockpit interface?
Cropped; flickr.com, 2008
The photo is taken in cruise. The selected display shows takeoff data. There is also a send button (which hints at a datalink capability for communicating values).
I ...
