What do black noses mean on aircraft

I think some of Monarch’s 757’s were delivered with black noses.

Thank you very much for your very interesting answer!

Regards

The “radome” is nothing more than a fairing that covers the radar antenna. It is made from fiberglass with a honeycomb core. It can be painted with any approved aircraft paint and can be any color.

Many airlines painted their radomes black so they could be interchanged between airframes and not have to worry about any mis-alignment of the liveries. For the same reason many operators painted their radomes gray with only the very tip painted black. In most cases this black paint covered the rubber erosion boot that is bonded on to some radomes.

…Alitalia still have them

I think that the “new” livery of Alitalia is not using the black nose anymore. Some aircraft sport the black nose because of a an exchange of the nose-cone I think.

Regards 😉

Not many aircraft have them these days but Alitalia still have them and BA had ringed ones on their 737’s and 757’s.

The black nose on the F70s of the Alitalia were painted with black paint.

Peter

I´ve heard a longer time ago that black noses were used in order to avoid impairing the transmission and reception of signals. Only a few different colors were possible and many airlines decided to paint their noses black and even included the black noses into their liveries like Alitalia, Iberia etc…

At a later stage far more color-options became available (to fit the colors used by an airline) and many airlines decided to get rid of their black noses. Even American Airlines withdraw the characteristic black noses on their Super 80-aircraft while Iberia phased out their black noses during the second half of the 1990s.

Maybe I am wrong with but this is the story I´ve heard. This version is not related to the “black ring” on British Airways-aircraft.

Regards

I always thought that they were anti glare, however I learn something new every day!

You can’t see the radome from the pilot seats, unless you put your face right up against the windshield.

I love this photo. Again im guessing this nose has come from another airline.

I always thought that they were anti glare, however I learn something new every day!

Probably a replacement nose that they didn’t have time to paint.

Sometimes airlines also borrow from a neighbouring airline if the need arises. It doesn’t happen often, but it does.

You hit the nail on the head there Sandy 🙂

Good memory.

It was indeed G-DJAC

http://www.airliners.net/photo/MyTravel-Airways/Boeing-767-31K-ER/1146017/L/

I remember a MyTravel 767 having a Thomson nose. Anyone got a pic. I think it was G-DJAC ? or G-SJMC.

Probably a replacement nose that they didn’t have time to paint.

Sometimes airlines also borrow from a neighbouring airline if the need arises. It doesn’t happen often, but it does.

Not sure why this airours 757 looked like this.

The black rings on BA 757 and 737 noses are painted with a special static conducting paint.
It draws the static electricity from the radome onto the metal conductor rods embedded into the radome which in turn conduct the electricity to the fuselage.
This is done to prevent static charges interfering with the equipment in the radome.

I’m told all BA aircraft have this, but it is painted over on the other fleet types.

The black ring on BA aircraft was something to do with MLS trials if I remember correctly.

The black radome could be an anti-erosion layer. 146’s used to be black then replaced with a clear version in later production.