A/C ID based on strobe and beacon
 

Now this could be an old tale... But someone told me that you can identify aircraft by the timing of the strobe and the beacon. I know that current airbus strobes flash twice per sequence and boeings once. Does anyone know if this is true and if so can provide further info for various aircraft types.

Thanks

I heard this tale 50 years ago. It may have had some substance then, but not now.

It would be nice for the spotters if they flashed their registrations in morse code!
Spotting would be great for clear night flyovers!

I really think your leg is being pulled.

It's true all Airbus (A300 & A310 excluded) wing tip strobe lights flash twice per sequence and all the rest once. The thing to watch out for is once the airline engineers get their hands on them this may change, but usually doesnt.
The only other one i know of is a way of differentiating Boeing 737 classics from Next Gen. (400s from 800s mostly). The classics have independent anti-collision lights (they mostly flash at different times), NG aircraft always flash simultaneously.