BA Fleet markings
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BA Fleet markings
Can anyone tell me why some BA aircraft have black rings painted around their noses and why others no not? I have seen both B757's and B737's with and without rings. I wrote to BA once about this, but didn't get a reply. Guess they had better things to do that day. Anyone here know?
Last edited by HKGBravo1; 21st Mar 2009 at 16:14.
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I've often wondered that too. Having searched through some photo databases it seems to have only been applied to 737s and 757s, and even then not all of them.
I dont think it's for glare reasons as the black area is usually just below the cockpit windows...
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dont know if this is true, but when the 737 and 757's of BA all had the black rings, it was because the that type of nose fitted both the 737 and 757 so was easily recognisable.. but im just sharing what i was told, and would be interested to know the real reason if its different 
phil
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I know this may sound stupid and too simple to be correct, but I think the black ring was part of the BA livery at one point
Some B777s had the black ring on the radome at one point aswell.
AeroMad
Some B777s had the black ring on the radome at one point aswell.
AeroMad
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Thanks to everyone who has responded, but I don't think that we have the answer yet. I don't believe that the rings are part of the livery as I have photographed different B757's with and without them at the same time. I have not managed to find a picture in my own collection of a B777 with the rings. They seem to to be limited to B757's and B737's.
Knowing from my own experience how protective airlines are of their corporate identities, I also can't see BA using black tape to seal a radome cover. Also, the actual radome cover on a B737 is far bigger than the location where the tape is located. The only reason I know this is because I once photographed an MAS B737-400 with the cover lying on the hangar floor in front of the aircraft.
I guess it will remain a mystery...for the time being. Thanks again everyone.
Knowing from my own experience how protective airlines are of their corporate identities, I also can't see BA using black tape to seal a radome cover. Also, the actual radome cover on a B737 is far bigger than the location where the tape is located. The only reason I know this is because I once photographed an MAS B737-400 with the cover lying on the hangar floor in front of the aircraft.
I guess it will remain a mystery...for the time being. Thanks again everyone.
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This has been asked many times. It's only a regular feature on the B757 and the B737s. Never seen any other type in the BA fleet with that particular nose marking.
G-BIKK and a B767 I can't recall off the top of my head ( G-BNWB ? ) hds the checkerboard quadranted blue / white nose in the Landor scheme. This was for MLS I believe?
The black ring became noticable with the introduction of the Utopia colours in 1997. However the new build B757s from then on, from G-CPEO, were not delivered with a black ring and even now, some of them don't have it as the new noses are cycled round the fleet during maintenance I guess.
There are a pile of theories and this question comes up a lot, no definitive answer yet alas....
G-BIKK and a B767 I can't recall off the top of my head ( G-BNWB ? ) hds the checkerboard quadranted blue / white nose in the Landor scheme. This was for MLS I believe?
The black ring became noticable with the introduction of the Utopia colours in 1997. However the new build B757s from then on, from G-CPEO, were not delivered with a black ring and even now, some of them don't have it as the new noses are cycled round the fleet during maintenance I guess.
There are a pile of theories and this question comes up a lot, no definitive answer yet alas....
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Taking this topic slightly sideways on a similar theme, does anyone know the reason for the introduction of the last three letters of the registration on BA Airbuse A320srs being put across the top of the ridge above the windscreen? From memory of work last week USJ and USI certainly have been done, and possibly USK as well. Might just be not having noticed something that's been staring me in the face, but they look bizarre!
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I know when the A319s went for the resprays to have the new larger Union Flags, they went in with the last two if anything and came out with the last three. The B744 fleet is also going from two to three as the fleet is painted.
Oddly enough, the new A320s have only the last two on delivery from Toulouse...
The B767-300s had the last three and now have the last two, with the B757s always having the last two. All very odd!
Oddly enough, the new A320s have only the last two on delivery from Toulouse...
The B767-300s had the last three and now have the last two, with the B757s always having the last two. All very odd!
Last edited by Skipness One Echo; 17th Mar 2009 at 14:12.
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I took a couple of photos yesterday at Heathrow that might be of interest.
The first shows the nose of G-BPED. It appears that this aircraft has had a replacement nose recently, but the black ring has still been painted on it:
You will see that the ring is not on the radome attachment point.
The second photo shows G-CPER with a politically correct nose!
The third photograph shows G-EUUW with a Red Nose, presumably for Red Nose Day. G-EUUX was also wearing a Red Nose yesterday. They looked rather fetching.
I am still interested in an answer if anyone can add anything.
The first shows the nose of G-BPED. It appears that this aircraft has had a replacement nose recently, but the black ring has still been painted on it:
You will see that the ring is not on the radome attachment point.
The second photo shows G-CPER with a politically correct nose!
The third photograph shows G-EUUW with a Red Nose, presumably for Red Nose Day. G-EUUX was also wearing a Red Nose yesterday. They looked rather fetching.
I am still interested in an answer if anyone can add anything.
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As Canage Matey! & Seat62K have suggested, I always thought it was for anti static purposes. When completely painted the radome is protected from temperature extremes, impacting rain, snow & other abrasive particles, sunlight & high voltage surface charges of static electricity. Modern primer & topcoats do a reasonable job when it comes to environmental impact protection however for static dissipation a graphite or carbon particle (semi-conductive to prevent build up of static charge) coating is used. Covering the whole radome though can cause attenuation of the wx radar signal so a 'ring' that minimises the surface area covered therefore minimising attenuation whilst maintaining anti-static properties could be employed.
Philbky is right - the MLS trial a/c had a checkerboard on the radome.
Philbky is right - the MLS trial a/c had a checkerboard on the radome.
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The first Red Nose commercial aeroplane
HKGBravo1's pic of a red nosed BA brought back memories of the first Civil Aircraft to sport a red nose for the very first Red Nose Day back in 1988. It was the Brymon Handley Page Herald G-ATIG (see Pic) Photos: Handley Page HPR-7 Herald 214 Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net
Sadly I can't find a picture with the Red Nose (Radar Dome). It was on local TV and in the papers. I regularly flew on the aircraft to Heathrow on my way back to work in Saudi Arabia during the 70's and early 80's.
Sadly I can't find a picture with the Red Nose (Radar Dome). It was on local TV and in the papers. I regularly flew on the aircraft to Heathrow on my way back to work in Saudi Arabia during the 70's and early 80's.
Last edited by Xeque; 21st Mar 2009 at 05:43.
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BA Fleet markings
We had this at my former employer. Generally it is a "rented" radome from another supplier (i.e. airline or from internal stores). IMHO - The original may have had some damage at on point in the routing or a a base location. BA not having all parts for all aircract at all airports, rented one from the master store at the airport in question. It gets returned to the owner when repairs are made at a BA MTM base.
