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Bubble Antenna On UA 737 Fuselage

justloveplanes From United States of America, joined Jul 2004, 872 posts, RR: 1
Posted (9 months 3 weeks 5 days 16 hours ago) and read 2839 times:

I noticed on UA/PMCO 737's there is what appears to be an antenna or radome about 3/4's of the way back on the top fuselage. Looks about 6 feet in diameter

Is this the Direct TV antenna, and if so, what kind of aero penalty does this impart?

6 replies: All unread, jump to last

AirframeAS From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 14150 posts, RR: 26
Reply 1, posted (9 months 3 weeks 5 days 14 hours ago) and read 2803 times:

It's a LiveTV satellite. The same equipment atop the F9 Airbuses.

A Safe Flight Begins With Quality Maintenance On The Ground.

B6JFKH81 From United States of America, joined Mar 2006, 2767 posts, RR: 7
Reply 2, posted (9 months 3 weeks 5 days 9 hours ago) and read 2656 times:

Quoting AirframeAS (Reply 1):
It's a LiveTV satellite. The same equipment atop the F9 Airbuses.

I thought the LiveTV setup was a little (not much) different on the B737's than the A320s? Last time I was down in MCO at the LiveTV warehouse, I was surprised at how large the LiveTV radome was compared to the ones on our aircraft. I think the CO birds have the same one as the Virgin Blue and WestJet planes:

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HAWK21M From India, joined Jan 2001, 31201 posts, RR: 58
Reply 3, posted (9 months 3 weeks 2 days 20 hours ago) and read 2223 times:

Whats the load penalty post installation of the antenna?.

Think of the brighter side!

AirframeAS From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 14150 posts, RR: 26
Reply 4, posted (9 months 3 weeks 2 days 3 hours ago) and read 2070 times:

Quoting B6JFKH81 (Reply 2):
I thought the LiveTV setup was a little (not much) different on the B737's than the A320s?

The only thing that is different is the brace that is used to attach all the fittings to the fuselage given that the outside diameter between the 737's and the A320's are quite different.

Quoting HAWK21M (Reply 3):
Whats the load penalty post installation of the antenna?.

No clue, but I do know that there is some fuel penalty involved no matter what. I am assuming it is not much.

A Safe Flight Begins With Quality Maintenance On The Ground.

aeroweanie From United States of America, joined Dec 2004, 1601 posts, RR: 52
Reply 5, posted (9 months 3 weeks 2 days ago) and read 2030 times:

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Quoting B6JFKH81 (Reply 2):
I thought the LiveTV setup was a little (not much) different on the B737's than the A320s? Last time I was down in MCO at the LiveTV warehouse, I was surprised at how large the LiveTV radome was compared to the ones on our aircraft. I think the CO birds have the same one as the Virgin Blue and WestJet planes

JetBlue, WestJet and Continental (United) aircraft all have the same LiveTV dome installed. On Australia's east coast, they have trouble "seeing" the LiveTV satellites, so the Vifgin Blue aircraft have the "high-gain" antenna which requires a bigger dome.