Airbus or Boeing?

[expat]

Ok, you are out spotting and the aircraft is a little distant, you are not sure if it is a Boeing or an Airbus. How do you tell. If you can see one component, then it is relatively easy. All you need to be able to see is the APU exhaust outlet fairing.

Boeing is always cut at about 45 degrees to the body.



Airbus is always smaller and 90 degrees to the body.



There is always an exception.



The A380, it combines the two, but if you ever mistake an A380 for a Boeing, well, you need to find another hobby

Matt

[Nexus]

Airbus A32X has landing lights on the wings aswell. They extend underneath the wing, near the root

The A330 engine cowling does not always extend far back on the A330, the RR Trents do indeed have a rather long cowling, but
check an A330 with PW engines
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1250137/L/

And the 737 does indeed have an Airbus opposite, the A321.
While it doesn't pack the range of the 757, it can fly most missions that the 757 can.
Though I still believe that the real 757-killer was the 737NG

[expat]

The ex-pat, what's the upper hole on the 737 APU.
I know the APU inlet is located on the aft right side (near the stabilizer), so it cant be that.
So what is it? oil cooling?
 :-?

Yes, oil cooling and if memory serves, bay ventilation too, but I would have to read up on the second point.

Matt

[Wing Nut]

1. The tail....the 737 has a clear chink in the tail, whereas the A321 has a curve....this to me is the most recogniseable feature

Could it be that you never noticed the 737, with the exception of older versions that have mostly been retired, is the only airliner WITH ENGINES THAT ARE FLAT ON THE BOTTOM?!  ;)  I would say that's a key recognition feature...

[spitfire boy]

1. The tail....the 737 has a clear chink in the tail, whereas the A321 has a curve....this to me is the most recogniseable feature

Could it be that you never noticed the 737, with the exception of older versions that have mostly been retired, is the only airliner WITH ENGINES THAT ARE FLAT ON THE BOTTOM?!

[expat]

1. The tail....the 737 has a clear chink in the tail, whereas the A321 has a curve....this to me is the most recogniseable feature

Could it be that you never noticed the 737, with the exception of older versions that have mostly been retired, is the only airliner WITH ENGINES THAT ARE FLAT ON THE BOTTOM?!  ;)  I would say that's a key recognition feature...

The reason being that many additional components housed in the base of the cowling in other airliners were moved to the side of the cowling for the 737... the engine itself is perfectly round...

The reason for this is due the accessory gearbox being moved from the 6 o'clock position under the engine to the 4 o'clock position.  This was done because the 737 sits lower to the ground than most airplanes and the original 737s were designed for small P&W engines. Additional ground clearance was needed for the larger CFM56 engines.

Matt

[Mictheslik]

1. The tail....the 737 has a clear chink in the tail, whereas the A321 has a curve....this to me is the most recogniseable feature

Could it be that you never noticed the 737, with the exception of older versions that have mostly been retired, is the only airliner WITH ENGINES THAT ARE FLAT ON THE BOTTOM?!  ;)  I would say that's a key recognition feature...

6.The engines....the 737s engines have flattened out undersides whereas the A320s are round

When the aircraft is far off and side on, IMO the tail is easier to spot.....

.mic

[Jayhawk Jake]

Just look at lots of pictures of Airbuses and lots of pictures of Boeings.  That's what I've done, and it just comes naturally.  An Airbus looks like an Airbus and a Boeing looks like a Boeing....

[born_2_fly]

OK now a harder one

757 with winglets and Tu-204-120
Main difference: if the Tupolev has PS90 engines, the supports extend a long way over the engine.
Subtle ones:
Wheel tilt is the other way around.
Tail has different shape (its longer on the Tupolev)
Slight difference in cockpit window configuration
Different nosegear with an extra support beam on the Tupolev
Flaps look different
On other variants the relative positioning of the wing is different

Newer versions of the TU-204-120's are powered by 757 RR powerplants, but I'm sure you know that  :)

[chornedsnorkack]

Sure, you cannot mistake a B747 for anything because of the hump.

How exactly do you tell apart A340 and Ilyushin-86/96 family?

[Mictheslik]

How exactly do you tell apart A340 and Ilyushin-86/96 family?

Noise?

.mic

[born_2_fly]

Sure, you cannot mistake a B747 for anything because of the hump.

How exactly do you tell apart A340 and Ilyushin-86/96 family?

All A340's have winglets, not all 86/96's do. However, the ones that do have very LONG THIN winglets, the Airbus' are shorter and stubbier.  ;)

Noise? Wink

Ha ha your not wrong. Ilyushin's are often called Fuel to Noise converters  ;D

[chornedsnorkack]

Sure, you cannot mistake a B747 for anything because of the hump.

How exactly do you tell apart A340 and Ilyushin-86/96 family?

Noise? Wink

Ha ha your not wrong. Ilyushin's are often called Fuel to Noise converters  ;D

Ah, yes. A sign of Il-86 - it is the only low-wing widebody with low bypass engines.

But Il-96 does have high bypass. So, wingtip treatment is the difference between Il-96 and A340.

[DaveSims]

Easy way to tell a 777 is the triple bogey landing gear, you won't find another aircraft like it.  As for Airbuses, most have numerous external flap tracks (the pointy things on the trailing edge of the wing.)  While Boeings have them too, the Airbuses are much more noticeable.

[C]

Easy way to tell a 777 is the triple bogey landing gear, you won't find another aircraft like it.  

Tu-154 has triple bogeys...

If you get that confused with a 777 I'd suggest a trip to SpecSavers (other opticians are available!)

is the only airliner WITH ENGINES THAT ARE FLAT ON THE BOTTOM?!

Apart from one that lands with the wheels up...