What is the 'eyebrow' fairing over the front passenger door for?

[JamesT73J]

I've noticed it a few times on commercial aircraft. You can see one here: http://www.airliners.net/open.file/503971/M/

I've always assumed it's aerodynamic. It's always canted forward about 8 degrees, as if to encourage a vortex...but the door is flush to the fuselage, so why?

[cortilla]

Simple solution. To stop pax being dripped on if its raining when they get on/off an aircraft

[JamesT73J]

Well, I never...:)

Thanks!

[Tinstaafl]

I believe the angle it's at is so that it is aligned with the local airflow around the fuselage. Not entirely sure about this, but given the choice why wouldn't you build it that way?

[Felix Lighter]

Sorry Cortilla is correct......... its simply there to stop the drips!

[XL ONE]

I remember asking a training captain about this a few months ago - was expecting some high tech response but simple ideas work well

[West Coast]

I hear that one asked as the pax stream in. On the way out they ask why there is an eyelet on top of the wing a few feet outside of the emergency exits. I used to fly a CRJ and it was common to be informed that our nose tire was flat.

[Tinstaafl]

Felix, I wasn't disputing the purpose, merely commenting on why they're mounting at the angles they are. They could slope steeply backwards, shallowly backwards, forwards by whatever amount, be chevron shaped etc etc & still stop drips.

[lomapaseo]

Nothing wrong with the answers above, but I doubt that the designer cared as much about wet passengers as to water accumulation in the stairs freezing.

[JamesT73J]

I'm guessing that without it, water could pool in the in the door plug and seals as well. Thanks for the answers - I really had no idea about this at all.

[cortilla]

Loma,

Some aircraft (i.e. 737NG) have integral airstairs but most (notably Bae-146 shown in pickie) don't. So freezing water in the stairs probably wouldn't be an issue. It's just a comfort feature for the pax. BTW what's a mechanical pathologist??

[shuttlebus]

Some might call them gutters :confused:

However, the correct engineering term is.....

"subsonic hydrodynamic flow diverters" :p :p :p

Regards,

Shuttlebus

P.S. Sorry, couldn't resist :D :D :D