Transcript Aircraft Recognition 2006

White Knight
& Space Ship One
Just in case you missed it, this was a typical
fly-by at AirVenture 2005.
Seawind
Now this is a seaplane.
Not a Lake because: Lake’s wing floats are in from the wing tips
6-8 feet; and, the Lake’s engine is mounted on a pedestal that
comes out of the top of the fuselage.
The Seawind’s engine is mounted on an arm that extends from
the front of the vertical tail. Unique among the seaplanes.
Pointy nose and smaller size, would be an Osprey or a Coot
Amphibian. Both of these have engines on top of the fuselage.
Trinidad
Tobago looks exactly the same except it has fixed gear with no
main gear doors sticking out.
Easy to confuse with a Grumman from head on, but Grumman’s
main gear legs comes out an angle. Trinidad & Tobago main gear
legs are basically straight down.
Not an older Cherokee because: Trinidad gear legs are closer
together, air inlets are more angular and wing is longer and
narrower, with no taper.
Also, wing light in Cherokee is not usually at the wing tip.
Piper Seneca
Twin with the gear up
Details are sketchy.
Could be a Twin Comanche, but: Twin Comanche wing
is tapered and no de-icing boots. This one looks
constant chord w/boots.
Twin Comanche horizontal tail tapers, this one again
looks constant chord like a Seneca.
Seneca fuselage & tail are larger and taller.
Maule ?
Red and White Taildragger
Could also be a Murphy Rebel or a Bearcat, both
homebuilts. And there are probably a dozen others.
If you see one similar to this but the ailerons hang 6”
down below the wing and are full span, it is probably
a Kitfox or Skyfox, but could also be an Avid Flyer.
Red and white taildragger with a light on the right wing
is probably your best shot.
There are actually
C190’s and C195’s.
Originally, the C195 had
the bigger engine….But
now days, I can’t tell
them apart. To tell
these from the C170,
180 & C185….
C-195’s
These two have a C170B
type tail, but are much
longer and have a radial
engine. Also, the entire
wing has a gradual taper
with no strut. Cessna
Airmaster is similar, but
smaller with a much
skinnier tail. (Only 1 or 2
Airmasters will be here)
Adams 500
There are other push/pull twins, but the tail on
this one is unique.
They also make a jet version called the 700.
Angel
Built for rough fields and used in missionary work.
Only other non seaplane pusher twin. we’ll see is the Piaggio
P180 Avanti turboprop, with a canard.
Kermit Weeks Russian built blue and white Beriev BE-103 is a
seaplane that looks very similar as well.
Junkers Ju-52
Very Unique and very rare.
The size of a DC-3 and will probably fly the
warbird arrival.
NOTE: Tail of a Seawind also unique.
These are Not Cessna’s
One of Several AeroComp Variants.
Looks like a Cessna taildragger from the front or side,
except when you say Cessna taildragger turn base, he
won’t!
BD-4
•Can be a taildragger or have tricycle gear. No strut, but it’s definitely not
a Cardinal or Centurion. No taper to the wing on the BD-4.
•Windshield is severely sloped and fuselage sides are flat. Oh yea, this can
be a 170mph airplane so get that champ out of the way.
Symphony or GlaStar
Original version was called a GlaStar and could be tricycle gear or
taildragger. Current manufacturer calls it a Symphony.
Viewed from the side or below, the strut attaches behind the door
and angles forward to the wing attach point. Also notice the vertical
tail is way out of proportion for a Cessna, and the horizontal tail is
way far back
Airvan
From the side looks similar to a C208 Caravan, but the
Airvan is not as long. It has larger side windows but
fewer of them.
Tecnam Echo “Super”
You start to get the idea that from a mile away, you really don’t
have much of a chance at guessing the type correctly.
This “Cessna” will never turn when you tell him to. Better result if
you call it a red white and blue high wing.
These are not Piper’s
This homebuilt is called a Bearcat.
Actually looks a lot like a Piper Pacer, but with
single struts. Red and White Taildragger!
Alarus
Looks a lot like a Cherokee, especially from in front and below,
but:
The landing gear legs come out of the fuselage and are curved,
a Cherokee’s come out of the wing and go straight down.
Also, the Alarus has a tiny horizontal tail, very little span.
Thorpedo
From Fisk, this will look a lot like a Cherokee. Gear and wing
are very similar.
From the side, the canopy and T-18 vertical tail should make it
obvious this is not a Piper product. Bright yellow low wing!
All LSA’s, no Cherokee’s
All these, and we have just scratched the surface of the low
wing, tricycle gear airplanes that are not Cherokee’s. Best stick
with color and configuration if you want them to comply with
your control instructions.
Always mis-identified
This one’s a BushCaddy R-80. I read the sign.
Double struts are like those used on a Piper, Champ,
Citabria, Cessna 140, etc. Yellow high wing
Taildragger would work.
Usually mis-identified
The Aviat Husky was built as almost a copy of the
Piper Super Cub. The tail and nose are slightly
different, but Yellow High Wing Taildragger will always
work.
Light Sport Aircraft (LSA)
White high wing with a red stripe. I don’t know what
this is, but I guarantee some controller will call it a
Cessna; and, guess what? The pilot won’t go around
because he knows it is definitely not a Cessna.
Not a Cirrus
This Liberty is a tricycle gear version of the Europa which had
one main wheel in the belly and outriggers on each wing tip.
Blue and white low wing. It is not an experimental.
Not a Beech Staggerwing
This is a Lionheart. Although this one might answer
to Staggerwing, it is not even related. No struts
between the wings like a Staggerwing.
Odds & Ends
Barracuda, top, only came as a tricycle geared retract.
Thorp T-18, bottom, only as a fixed gear taildragger. Note the
bent wing similar to a Corsair, but not as extreme.
Cessna Airmaster
The Airmaster is a smaller, earlier version of the
C190/195 series. Fewer windows and straight
leading edge to the vertical tail.
Dragonfly, left, has
very pronounced
“cheek” cowl.
Q2/Q200, right, has
a narrower vertical
tail and a fully
rounded cowling.
Emeraude
Now this is an Emeraude. Most unique is the
elliptical wing, similar to a Spitfire’s but with squared
off tips. Gear slant forward and the vertical tail has a
unique shape. Very nice two seat homebuilt!
Express
Similar to a Cirrus or a Lancair Columbia, but this one is a
homebuilt.
Originally called a Wheeler Express, but Mr. Wheeler died in a
plane crash and now somebody else sells the kits.
Grumman Widgeon,
top, and Mallard,
right.
Aren’t they beautiful?
Ryan PT-17, top
Ryan PT-19, right
Not a Harley
Built for Snap-On
Tools, by Orange
County Choppers