Simviation Forums

My son subscribes to the magazine "Airliner" which I inherit after he gets done reading it. Its a very colorful magazine showing aircraft used by airline companies throughout the world. Which brings up a question: Can anyone quickly identify variants of the following aircraft. Boeing 737 (4-800), Boeing 767s, 777, Airbus 319, 320, 330. What are its noteworthy identifying features?

Bubblehead

I don't exactly know what your asking but here goes. Most of the time is the addition of winglets and prolonged fuelslodge. But it could be more advanced avionics and other interior changes, which you can't see from the outside. And other times its when they change the engine, for example the 737-100/200 and the 737-300/400/500......

Cheers
Jeff

Break down of the 737 is rather easy.

Thinks of ALL the variants as models introduces in three difference eras

First in the 60's came the 737-100 and the 200. Where the -200 was the bigger of them two, and no doubt the most popular one. The -200 made the 737 to what it is today. Both of the 100/200 has the cigarr-shaped JT8D engines from Pratt and Whitney.

Then in the early 80's came the 2nd batch of 737's, with new engines, as the most significant change. The CFM56 engines was much bigger and could not be hung below the wings, but instead had to be canterlevered out ahead of the wings leading edge.

To solve the ground clearance issue, the lower section of the nacelle was slightly flattened (hence the name "flat bottom engines". The cockpit also got a major upgrade in avioncis.

Perhaps I did not make myself clear. Sorry for the confusion. What I meant was that if the aircraft I listed which are primarily wing mounted twin engined models were to line up in tandem for take-off,  and one has to look at them from a couple hundred yards, what do you think will be the immediate distinguishing features? The winglets for one, also the engine nacelles of the Airbus vs. Boeing. Notice anything peculiar with the Boeing 737 stablizer fins? Without reading the accompanying description of the pictures in the Airliner magazine, I miss IDying fifty percent of the time.

Bubblehead

the nose shape is the quickest way to tell them apart.
Personally i have found though the only planes to have a truely distinctive nose even the most amature of spotters could pick out are the DC10 MD11 and 747's
in terms of wide bodys the winglets are the next best way. Boeing tends to have a more curved nose that runs quite smoothly with only a small join between the cockpit windows and the nose itself. the Airbus tend to have a steeper window with a pointy nose. Well except the newer 340's but its impossible to get those mixed up with the 747s

The medium range segment for both Boeing and Airbus is the 737 and the A32X.

Aside from looking at the nose, where the 737 radome is much more pointy than the Airbus.

The Airbus has much more ground clearance, longer and more distinct landing gear. The 737 has small "eye brow" windows in the cockpit, while the airbus does not.

The profile of the tail is also a good way to tell them apart. Where Airbus has a straight angle on the vertical stabilizer. The 737's is a two-angle type, and it's very noticeable.

As a hardcore aircraft-enthusiast, I can give you 500 ways to tell them apart, but some features are hard to see and requires a photo comparison


I tell you what, to to www.airliners.net and browse the different aircrafts available there, you'll soon begin to notice their differences

This will help you out on your journey

This is a 737
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/616781/M/

This is a Airbus A32X series
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/577411/L/


On start up
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/473034/M/