What's this dangly thang?
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: GOM
Age: 67
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Co-pilot relief tube collection device. Prior to 2000 this used to be discharged into the atmosphere since then it has to be collected due to complaints of yellow rain.
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Canada
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Its definitely not a DF or DDF (Distress Direction Finding) antenna (121.5, 243.0, 156.8, 406), they are larger more round antenna usually located under the belly, sort of the size of half of a basketball. As for the radalt antenna, nope, there are two of them located just inboard of the two sponsons within which sit the main landing gear when retracted. I have never seen that "dangly" thing before, and I doubt that it is a relief tube, as the maintainers certainly don't want pilots pissing all over the port side of their aircraft. Perhaps the downlink guess is the best so far, but me thinks its something less sophisticated.
It looks very much like our I-band transponder - that shows up on our radar so you know where other similarly equipped aircraft are.
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Bottom of the Kennet & Avon
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It looks too large to be a standard 2.5 Ghz wilted dipole for a microwave downlink. Very substantial mounting arm though, so could contain a motorised directional antenna.
