Those strange whiskers on a plane’s nose are actually a crucial element of aviation
Published on Oct 02, 2025 at 8:58 AM (UTC+4)
by Molly Davidson
Last updated on Oct 02, 2025 at 12:19 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
Ever noticed the thin metal probes sticking out from a plane’s nose?
They look like whiskers sprouting from the aircraft’s face.
They’re easy to overlook, until you realize they’re some of the most important parts of the aircraft.
Without them, modern planes wouldn’t be able to fly safely.
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Why those airplane ‘whiskers’ are on a plane’s nose
Those plane whiskers aren’t decoration – they’re pitot tubes, some of the most critical sensors on any aircraft.
They measure airspeed by comparing the pressure of oncoming airflow against static air, then feed that data directly into the flight computers.
It looks simple, but the entire flight depends on it.
Without those delicate-looking whiskers on a plane’s nose, pilots would have no reliable way of knowing if the jet was moving too fast, too slow, or edging toward a stall.
Without them, the jet would be flying blind.
Beyond the pitot tubes – meet the radar guiding the flight
The probes are only half the story.
Right between them sits the radome – the rounded airplane nose cone that hides the aircraft’s weather radar.
It fires radio waves ahead of the plane, bouncing them off water droplets to map storms and turbulence before anyone in the cabin sees a single cloud.
Modern radars add Doppler processing, which shows even greater detail.
That means the system can tell if a thunderhead is harmless rain or the kind of turbulence that will send your drink into the ceiling.
Pilots use those scans to request detours, climbs, or delays, keeping the ride as smooth and safe as possible.
So the next time you spot a plane with what look like whiskers sprouting from its nose, remember this.
They’re not odd details or quirks of design.
They’re the reason pilots know how fast they’re flying, and the radar just behind them is the reason they know where it’s safe to go.
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Molly Davidson is a Junior Content Writer at Supercar Blondie. Based in Melbourne, she holds a double Bachelor’s degree in Arts/Law from Swinburne University and a Master’s of Writing and Publishing from RMIT. Molly has contributed to a range of magazines and journals, developing a strong interest in lifestyle and car news content. When she’s not writing, she’s spending quality time with her rescue English staffy, Boof.
