You don't need any of these words to use the identifier — every question it asks is in plain English. But
spotters have names for everything, and once you know them, spotting talk (and the odd forum post) stops
sounding like a foreign language. This page collects the real terms behind each plain-language question,
grouped by the classic wartime spotter mnemonic: Wings, Engines, Fuselage, Tail. Each section shows a couple of real types side by side so the
tell is obvious rather than abstract.
Wings
wings
What does the very tip of the wing look like?
Plain and flat
The wing just ends — no upward bend, blade, or fin at the tip.
Small end-fins
A short fin sticks up and a matching one points down, right at the tip — the classic Airbus A320 look.
Upturned blade
A single blade curves smoothly up at the tip, like the wing was bent skyward at the end.
Split blades
A blade sweeps up and a smaller one points down underneath, like a stylized fishtail.
Swept to a point
No upward blade — the tip just sweeps back at a sharper angle to a sharp point.
Airbus A320ceoBoeing 737NGBoeing 787-9
wings
Do the wings join the body near the top or near the bottom?
Low on the body
The wings join near the belly, low on the body — how most airliners are built.
High on the body
The wings join near the roof, above the windows, leaving the belly clear underneath.
Airbus A320ceoATR 42/72
wings
Do the wings angle back, or stick straight out to the sides?
Angled back
The wings sweep noticeably back toward the tail — standard on jets built to cruise fast.
Straight out
The wings stick out roughly sideways with little or no backward angle — usual on slower propeller planes.
Airbus A320ceoATR 42/72
Engines
engines
Do the engines have spinning blades out front, or are they smooth tubes?
Jet engines
Smooth, tube-shaped pods with a dark round opening up front and no spinning blades.
Propeller engines
Engines with big spinning blades on the front, like a giant fan out ahead.
Airbus A320ceoATR 42/72
engines
How many engines can you count?
Two engines
One engine under or beside each wing — the usual setup on modern airliners.
Three engines
Two engines plus a third tucked into the tail — rare on planes still flying today.
Four engines
Two engines under each wing, four in total — a sign of the biggest jumbo jets.
Boeing 737NGMcDonnell Douglas MD-11FBoeing 747-400
engines
Where are the engines mounted on the plane?
Under the wings
The engines hang in pods below the wings, ahead of the front edge of the wing.
On the back
The engines are bolted to the sides of the body near the tail, with clean bare wings underneath.
Wings plus the tail
Two engines under the wings, plus a third built into the base of the tall tail fin.
Airbus A320ceoEmbraer ERJ145McDonnell Douglas MD-11F
engines
How big are the engine pods next to the wing?
Normal size
The engine pods look in proportion to the wing — clearly slimmer than the wing is deep.
Big and bulging
The pods look oversized, almost as tall as the body is wide — the look of newer fuel-saving jets.
Boeing 737NGBoeing 737 MAX
engines
What does the back rim of the engine pods look like?
Smooth round rim
The back opening of the pod is a clean circle, like a plain tube.
Flat on the bottom
The bottom of the pod is sliced flat instead of fully round, to clear the ground on low-slung jets.
Saw-tooth rim
The back edge has a row of zigzag teeth instead of a smooth circle — a way to quiet the engine.
Airbus A320ceoBoeing 737NGBoeing 787-9
Fuselage
fuselage
Does the body look narrow with one aisle, or wide with two?
Narrow body
A slim tube with a single aisle inside — seats up to about six across.
Wide body
A noticeably fatter tube with two aisles inside — seats seven or more across.
Airbus A320ceoBoeing 777-300
fuselage
Does the body look short and stubby, or long and stretched?
Short and stubby
The body looks short next to its wingspan and height, tail close behind the wings.
Normal length
The body looks in normal proportion to the wings — neither obviously short nor stretched.
Long and stretched
The body looks unusually long and slender, like the tube was pulled out compared to a normal jet.
Bombardier CRJ200Airbus A320ceoBoeing 757
fuselage
Does the body have one level of windows, or does part of it bulge upward?
One level
A single row of windows runs the whole length of the plane — no bulge on top.
Hump at the front
A raised bulge sits over the front, with a second short row of windows above the main one, then the roof drops back down.
Two full levels
Two full rows of windows run nearly the whole length, giving a tall, two-story look throughout.
Airbus A320ceoBoeing 747-400Airbus A380
fuselage
What shape are the cockpit windows at the very front?
Angular with a notch
Flat-sided windshield panes with a sharp step where the side window meets the front — a boxy, faceted look.
Smoothly rounded
The windshield panes curve gently into each other with no sharp notch, giving the nose a smooth, bubble-like front.
Four flat panes
The windshield is four separate flat panes in a simple grid — a plain, slightly boxy front.
Dark mask look
Dark tinted panels wrap around the windows in a band, like the nose is wearing a mask compared to the rest of the body.
Boeing 737NGAirbus A320ceoAirbus A350-900
fuselage
How many wheels are on each main leg of the landing gear?
Two per leg
Each main leg carries a simple pair of wheels, side by side.
Four per leg
Each main leg carries four wheels in a small cluster — common on larger jets.
Six per leg
Each main leg carries six wheels in two rows of three — only on the heaviest widebody jets.
Airbus A320ceoBoeing 767Boeing 777-300
Tail
tail
Where do the small tail wings sit on the upright fin?
Low crossbar
The small horizontal wings sit low, near the base of the tall upright fin.
Crossbar on top
The small horizontal wings sit right at the top of the upright fin, forming a capital T.
Crossbar partway up
The small horizontal wings sit partway up the fin — above the base but below the top — forming a cross.