White Knight & Space Ship OneJust in case you missed it, this was a typical fly-by at AirVenture 2005.

SeawindNow this is a seaplane.Not a Lake because: Lakes wing floats are in from the wing tips 6-8 feet; and, the Lakes engine is mounted on a pedestal that comes out of the top of the fuselage.The Seawinds engine is mounted on an arm that extends from the front of the vertical tail. Unique among the seaplanes.Pointy nose and smaller size, would be an Osprey or a Coot Amphibian. Both of these have engines on top of the fuselage.

TrinidadTobago looks exactly the same except it has fixed gear with no main gear doors sticking out.Easy to confuse with a Grumman from head on, but Grummans main gear legs comes out an angle. Trinidad & Tobago main gear legs are basically straight down.Not an older Cherokee because: Trinidad gear legs are closer together, air inlets are more angular and wing is longer and narrower, with no taper.Also, wing light in Cherokee is not usually at the wing tip.

Piper Seneca Twin with the gear up Details are sketchy.Could be a Twin Comanche, but: Twin Comanche wing is tapered and no de-icing boots. This one looks constant chord w/boots.Twin Comanche horizontal tail tapers, this one again looks constant chord like a Seneca.Seneca fuselage & tail are larger and taller.

Maule ?Red and White TaildraggerCould also be a Murphy Rebel or a Bearcat, both homebuilts. And there are probably a dozen others.If you see one similar to this but the ailerons hang 6 down below the wing and are full span, it is probably a Kitfox or Skyfox, but could also be an Avid Flyer.Red and white taildragger with a light on the right wing is probably your best shot.

C-195sThere are actually C190s and C195s. Originally, the C195 had the bigger engine.But now days, I cant tell them apart. To tell these from the C170, 180 & C185.These two have a C170B type tail, but are much longer and have a radial engine. Also, the entire wing has a gradual taper with no strut. Cessna Airmaster is similar, but smaller with a much skinnier tail. (Only 1 or 2 Airmasters will be here)

Adams 500There are other push/pull twins, but the tail on this one is unique. They also make a jet version called the 700.

AngelBuilt for rough fields and used in missionary work.Only other non seaplane pusher twin. well see is the Piaggio P180 Avanti turboprop, with a canard.Kermit Weeks Russian built blue and white Beriev BE-103 is a seaplane that looks very similar as well.

Junkers Ju-52Very Unique and very rare. The size of a DC-3 and will probably fly the warbird arrival.NOTE: Tail of a Seawind also unique.

These are Not CessnasOne of Several AeroComp Variants.Looks like a Cessna taildragger from the front or side, except when you say Cessna taildragger turn base, he wont!

BD-4Can be a taildragger or have tricycle gear. No strut, but its definitely not a Cardinal or Centurion. No taper to the wing on the BD-4.Windshield is severely sloped and fuselage sides are flat. Oh yea, this can be a 170mph airplane so get that champ out of the way.

Symphony or GlaStarOriginal version was called a GlaStar and could be tricycle gear or taildragger. Current manufacturer calls it a Symphony.Viewed from the side or below, the strut attaches behind the door and angles forward to the wing attach point. Also notice the vertical tail is way out of proportion for a Cessna, and the horizontal tail is way far back

AirvanFrom the side looks similar to a C208 Caravan, but the Airvan is not as long. It has larger side windows but fewer of them.

Tecnam Echo SuperYou start to get the idea that from a mile away, you really dont have much of a chance at guessing the type correctly.This Cessna will never turn when you tell him to. Better result if you call it a red white and blue high wing.

These are not PipersThis homebuilt is called a Bearcat.Actually looks a lot like a Piper Pacer, but with single struts. Red and White Taildragger!

AlarusLooks a lot like a Cherokee, especially from in front and below, but: The landing gear legs come out of the fuselage and are curved, a Cherokees come out of the wing and go straight down.Also, the Alarus has a tiny horizontal tail, very little span.

ThorpedoFrom Fisk, this will look a lot like a Cherokee. Gear and wing are very similar. From the side, the canopy and T-18 vertical tail should make it obvious this is not a Piper product. Bright yellow low wing!

All LSAs, no CherokeesAll these, and we have just scratched the surface of the low wing, tricycle gear airplanes that are not Cherokees. Best stick with color and configuration if you want them to comply with your control instructions.

Always mis-identifiedThis ones a BushCaddy R-80. I read the sign.Double struts are like those used on a Piper, Champ, Citabria, Cessna 140, etc. Yellow high wing Taildragger would work.

Usually mis-identifiedThe Aviat Husky was built as almost a copy of the Piper Super Cub. The tail and nose are slightly different, but Yellow High Wing Taildragger will always work.

Light Sport Aircraft (LSA)White high wing with a red stripe. I dont know what this is, but I guarantee some controller will call it a Cessna; and, guess what? The pilot wont go around because he knows it is definitely not a Cessna.

Not a CirrusThis Liberty is a tricycle gear version of the Europa which had one main wheel in the belly and outriggers on each wing tip. Blue and white low wing. It is not an experimental.

Not a Beech StaggerwingThis is a Lionheart. Although this one might answer to Staggerwing, it is not even related. No struts between the wings like a Staggerwing.

Odds & EndsBarracuda, top, only came as a tricycle geared retract. Thorp T-18, bottom, only as a fixed gear taildragger. Note the bent wing similar to a Corsair, but not as extreme.

Cessna AirmasterThe Airmaster is a smaller, earlier version of the C190/195 series. Fewer windows and straight leading edge to the vertical tail.

Q2/Q200, right, has a narrower vertical tail and a fully rounded cowling.Dragonfly, left, has very pronounced cheek cowl.

EmeraudeNow this is an Emeraude. Most unique is the elliptical wing, similar to a Spitfires but with squared off tips. Gear slant forward and the vertical tail has a unique shape. Very nice two seat homebuilt!

ExpressSimilar to a Cirrus or a Lancair Columbia, but this one is a homebuilt. Originally called a Wheeler Express, but Mr. Wheeler died in a plane crash and now somebody else sells the kits.

Grumman Widgeon, top, and Mallard, right.Arent they beautiful?

Ryan PT-17, top

Ryan PT-19, right

Not a HarleyBuilt for Snap-On Tools, by Orange County Choppers