I live under the landing approach to our local airport. I enjoy watching planes come in.
Large planes are frequent visitors , maybe 747. I suspect they are making deliveries for BMW manufacturing from across the pond.
Some of those have a small extension behind the full sized tail that looks like a miniature tail.
Any idea what the function is? My guess is extra stability or control.
The small, miniature tail-like extension behind the full-sized tail of a Boeing 747 is probably the exhaust for the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) . The APU serves several critical functions, especially when the main engines are not running like electrical power, air conditioning, and engine starting.
Probably a KC-135 doing touch and goes at GSP.
When the refueling boom is not extended it looks like what you described.
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I’d guess it’s an aerial refueling craft. The USA and many NATO allies all have such aircraft in their inventories. The “small tail” are the stabilizers on the fueling pipe.
Look here:
Do they look like this?
Yes it does but these are not military aircraft. They are, I suspect, flying in from Germany with full loads of BMW parts. Maybe that requires refueling in transit.
Hmm. I’m not sure that would explain it because I think those are only for refueling other aircraft.
Correct. The tail mounted winged pipes are for outgoing fuel only. They are flying gas stations.
So, it it possible there are air fulers that are not military? If so I have not heard of it, but I guess it’s possible.
So much going on in the world today it’s hard to know where air traffic is going all the time and maybe there are some non-military flights of heavy cargo going places that require mid air refueling in the same way military aircraft do.
String, try to get some pictures to post.
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I’m neither that patient or quick with a camera . I see them briefly as they fly over my backyard. I know a retired BMW manager; maybe he will know.
I also know a retired Army pilot but he flew helicopters.
I can’t find any indication of there being non military stratotankers. FWIW, the YouTube video I linked shows a military KC-135 at an airport in the city the OP has mentioned as home.
My friend tells me that it isn’t unusual for military aircraft to use the runways at GSP for practice and he confirms the presence of KC135 there.
The next time I see one I’ll try to see if it has visible marking.
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Right after I wrote that something very loud flew so close that it rattled the entire house. I hear jets all the time but seldom feel them.