How can I identify commercial aircraft from the ground by their colors?

Question

We see Southwest fly over our house on approach to SFO... It has a flourescent red belly. That's the only one I know. Some have just a plain silver belly and would be impossible to identify, but some have a little bit of ID.

Answer 1

SWA has a distinctive orange/red belly and they do it on purpose.  SWA wants you to recognize there belly, it is a great marketing tool.  Solid silver, there is only one company American Airlnes.  Blue belly's : Air Tran, Jet Blue and United.  Gray or a black belly: Northwest.  White: Delta, Continental, US Air (depending on the paint scheme) Hope it helps a little.

Answer 2

It's hard to identify a commercial aircraft just by looking at lights.

Up at 20,000 plus ft., it could be anything. (even an UFO)

Almost all commercial aircrafts have flashing green and red light to show other aircrafts, and usually the airport. Best way to identify an aircraft is to look at it's wing, and body.

example: four engines? most likely a 747 or military aircraft.

Have fun.

Answer 3

Buy a aircraft radio scanner, tune it in and discover who's flying above you no matter how high they are or what color  the plane is. If you hear the call sign "Air Force One" you will know it is not a commercial flight only the President of the United States.

Answer 4

Logo's are applied to the Fin and Rudder,.

Answer 5

most aircraft's bellies are kept white or light colored to facilitate grounds checks.

occasionally, an airline will give one or a few of its planes a special paint job, in honor or an event or just as plain advertising.  it is pretty near impossible to identify a commercial aircraft by looking at its belly only.

if you're looking at the color too, its a little better, you can find out which airline flies what and look for the airline logo on the tail. Certain aircraft have certain colors at certain places such as the airbus 320 series where the flap actuator fairing's tips are colored red.

though color and belly shape can help, the shape of the tail, wings/winglets/wing-tip fences, and number of engines along with the general silhouette and landing gear are other things you should look for if you want to ID an aircraft no matter where it is.