Circles on Nose

[AVLWATCHER]

I was wondering, what's with the circles going around British Airways' 757-200s and Airbus' A380 F-WWOW

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1236329/M/

[photoid=6022183]
[photoid=6021629]
[photoid=6018358]
[photoid=6019183]

[BA747-436]

BA's 737's also have them as well.

[Tanner_J]

Duh! Cause it's cute.

[JordanD]

So the pilots don't get as much glare from the sun..

[Crism]

They make the planes go 30kts faster














While reducing glare

[AJ]

Allegedly it signifies that the aircraft is equipped for MLS approaches.

[AVLWATCHER]

What are MLS approaches?

[AJ]

Microwave Landing System:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microwave_Landing_System

[brianw999]

I doubt the pilots can even see the painted disc for it to reduce glare. I would tend to go with AJ's option of MLS equipment, especially since the NASA Shuttle uses a similar approach method and also has a dark band around the nose.

The F-WOWW picture from airliners was especially interesting....mostly because JetPhotos screeners would reject it for "aircraft not centred".

Just kidding, don't start a war.

[groundpounder]

What are MLS approaches?

You are a 757 captian and you don't know what MLS is?

[CAPFlyer]

Not many do if they've never used it. It's not like they teach it during IFR training in a light single (or even light twin) which half the time is lucky to have 2 fully functional VOR receivers, much less something as complex as an MLS receiver.