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BA 737s - about time the "black rings" disappeared!

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From memory, someone on the site mentioned that the black rings that are painted onto the nose cones were in respect of some navigational/landing aids from way back when.

Just wondering why they havent been painted out yet? I appreciate the fleet is getting on a bit, but they've had a few repaints over the years.

Not the greatest problem I know, but it just looks odd and is clearly not part of the uniform look. Was on DOCB and DOCU this week and they still have the rings (as well as looking quite grubby :()

http://www.planespotters.net/Production_List/Boeing/737/25854,G-DOCU-British-Airways.php

As an aside, DOCB is always referred to as the "Tony Blaircraft" in my house, as I was turfed out of seat 2F to make way for him on a LHR flight once. Never forgiven him as it took ages to disembark lol.
 
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giblets

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The aircraft with a black ring nose tells ATC at compatible airports that the aircraft is fitted with a system called "Microwave Landing Sytem, or MLS".

This sytem is being trialled by British Airways with the CAA principally at Heathrow and Gatwick airports, and allows fitted aircraft to make the approach and even landing automatically using Microweave frenquency from the airport directed to the aircraft. This technology is meant to be a lot more accurate and efficient than the automated systems currently in place.

They have NOT moved on, and are still being trialled and developped.
 
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Ah thanks, a previous post had said this was experimental some time ago, and were now all obsolete.

But saying that, the rings have been in place for many years on 737s, and were certainly on the 757s way back in the 1990s.

This article says the Airbus fleet has the system (Daily Telegraph March 2009), yet no-one went mad with a pot of black point on their nose cones. Very puzzling.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/t...technology-to-cut-fog-delays-at-Heathrow.html
 
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Schnellzug

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They used to be on 757s back in the pre-'World Images' livery, i seem to remember. if it is still beign trialled, it might deserve a place in the Guinness Book of Records. Even longer than ERTMS.
 
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