It is the antenna for the inflight wifi system. The Southwest aircraft has a Ku band antenna on the top, allowing it to access the internet through satellites. The United aircraft appears to have a similar system.
Answer from aeroalias on Stack ExchangeSimple Flying
simpleflying.com › home › airlines › what is the round lump found on the roof of some airliners?
What Is The Round Lump Found On The Roof Of Some Airliners?
November 14, 2022 - However, in recent years, small lumps have started appearing on the top of the aircraft body. What are they, and do they affect the aerodynamics of the plane? The bump on the top of some commercial airliners is, in fact, a radome.
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It is the antenna for the inflight wifi system. The Southwest aircraft has a Ku band antenna on the top, allowing it to access the internet through satellites. The United aircraft appears to have a similar system.
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It looks like satellite data link antenna discussed here. It provides internet connection for passengers.
Communications Equipment Bulge On Top Of Aircraft - Airliners.net
I have noticed many private aircrafts such as the Oman 747SP with a bulge on top of the fuselage. This holds some communications equipment. It is also found in some commercial aircraft like JetBlue's A320s so they can receive DirecTV transmissions. No I have some questions: -How do these bulges ... More on airliners.net
What Is In The Bulge Where The Wing Is Attached? - Airliners.net
All modern airliners have a big bulge in the lower section of the fuselage in the area where the wing is attached to the tube. So I was wondering: Is there any usable space in that area i.e. for cargo or is it completely filled with whatever parts are neccessary to securely attach the wing? ... You'll have to show a picture of exactly what your talking about for clarity. If your talking about the fairings on the wing to body fuselage area....on most all aircraft ... More on airliners.net
What Is This Lump On The 737? - Airliners.net
I was lucky enough to be on that aircraft just yesterday flying Canberra to Adelaide! The 'lump' IS bigger - they installed the same receiver as Jet Blue then discovered that the satellite signal and coverage in Australia was different and required a larger receiver, hence a much bigger lump. More on airliners.net
What is this hump on a United Airlines plane?
satellite antenna for internet More on reddit.com
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August 31, 2024Videos
What's that bulge on the wing of this plane? #aviation ...
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/aviation › can somebody please tell me, what the bubble on the rear upper fusilage is
r/aviation on Reddit: Can somebody please tell me, what the bubble on the rear upper fusilage is
March 24, 2022 - It's wifi for the other aircraft ! ... The correct answer. Collect a meaningless internet point. :-) ... Ceiling easement for disco ball. ... Aft Cabin Dorsal Boob. ... If this was a car or a boat, the answer would be obvious, just drill a couple of holes. But on a plane? ... They cut a hole in the roof and put it in. Source: worked for a commercial aviation Wi-Fi supplier
Quora
quora.com › Why-do-commercial-airplanes-have-that-bump-on-the-top-for-the-internet-antennae-even-on-brand-new-planes-Is-that-aerodynamic-or-not
Why do commercial airplanes have that 'bump' on the top for the internet antennae, even on brand new planes? Is that aerodynamic or not? - Quora
Answer (1 of 3): Yes, it’s aerodynamic… well, more aerodynamic than what’s under the skin. It’s actually a lot like the kind of internet you would get for your boat. If you ever see that little dome on the top of a yacht mast -same thing. Airplane wifi is satellite internet.
Mysite
going2paris.net › post › what-is-the-round-lump-found-on-the-roof-of-some-airliners
What Is The Round Lump Found On The Roof Of Some Airliners?
September 24, 2022 - This blended word meshes together the two things that identify the lump – radar and dome. While it’s a neat portmanteau, it doesn’t fully explain the need for this addition to the aircraft fuselage. A radome is essentially a cover that protects equipment underneath. It protects the radar inside from weather and foreign object damage, and although it is becoming a more widely recognized term today, it’s actually been in use since around 1944. There’s a big radome on many aircraft which you probably haven’t noticed, and that’s the nose cone of the plane.
Airliners.net
airliners.net › forum › viewtopic.php
Communications Equipment Bulge On Top Of Aircraft - Airliners.net
Let it not be said that these people make sacrifices....That bump is quite pronounced and probably does cause some drag, however in that role it makes little difference. Now the antennas on other aircraft are low enough to be under the A/C's boundary layer and cause almost no drag. ... A chandelier, wow. Well I guess economics are not an issue with the Sultan. What I meant waws the bulge that you see on the JetBlue A320s
Reddit
reddit.com › r/planespotting › what is this hump on a united airlines plane?
r/Planespotting on Reddit: What is this hump on a United Airlines plane?
August 31, 2024 -
What is this hump? They all seem to have them. Just a regular person here, so I don’t know.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/airbus › why does the airbus have a bulge?
r/Airbus on Reddit: Why does the airbus have a bulge?
January 12, 2024 -
Why is there a bulge on the a350? I’m guessing it is for the landing gear, but is this a common thing with other jets?
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Love handles.
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I am not entirely sure what you mean, especially with the Red line in the picture. But if you mean the bulge around the wingjoint to the fuselage, IT is the so called belly fairing and the upperwing fairing. Main purpose is aerodynamical and there is a lot of hollow room behind it aswell as some vital components (climate packs, hydraulic compartment...)
Reddit
reddit.com › r/aviation › what is this hump on the top of the plane?
r/aviation on Reddit: What is this hump on the top of the plane?
January 14, 2022 - Commercial jets have so much real estate compared to my customer's bizjets! ... We have them on Gulfstreams, but smaller, call them the blister panel. ... That’s operations satcom (for crew). The dome is the IFE satcom (for passengers). ... The SATCOM link might be used to provided wifi services inside the aircraft but the dish itself is definitely SATCOM not WiFi. ... Plane to occupant internet or phone device (phone/computer) = wifi routers connected to the Satcom receiver/transmitter
Reddit
reddit.com › r/whatisthisthing › what is this thing? a black streamlined bump on the top of some american airlines aircraft.
r/whatisthisthing on Reddit: What is this thing? A black streamlined bump on the top of some American Airlines aircraft.
July 1, 2022 - It's a radome over an antenna. Aircraft have both upper and lower antenna for comm/nav equipment and they have different types of antennas for different types of equipment.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/aviation › anyone know what this bulge on this boeing 737-800 is?
r/aviation on Reddit: Anyone know what this bulge on this Boeing 737-800 is?
August 24, 2025 - ... May I introduce you to the B-25 Mitchell fitted with a 75mm cannon More replies More replies More replies ... Weak spot in the fuselage where the pressure from the interior caused it to bubble out in flight. ... Thats where the internet sits.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/airplanes › what's that "bulge" on top of this a320 neo?
r/airplanes on Reddit: What's that "bulge" on top of this a320 neo?
May 22, 2023 - UwU notices plane bulge.
YouTube
youtube.com › shorts › CKtbZhRrHDc
What’s that bulge on the wing of this plane? - YouTube
#aviation #aerospaceengineer #aerospace #engineer #pilot #technology #science #shorts #education #airplane
Published July 20, 2025
Quora
quora.com › What-is-the-purpose-of-the-bulge-at-the-centre-of-Airbus-A380-fuselage-and-does-it-not-disrupt-airflow-It-is-present-in-other-planes-too-What-is-it-called
What is the purpose of the 'bulge' at the centre of Airbus A380 fuselage and does it not disrupt airflow? It is present in other planes too. What is it called? - Quora
Answer (1 of 13): What I suspect you are describing is the wing to body fairing, sometimes termed the belly fairing. No, it does not disrupt the airflow. In fact its primary purpose is to smooth out the airflow by eliminating turbulence at the wing/fuselage juncture. It does so by making the tran...
Reddit
reddit.com › r/aviation › what is the bulge on the top of the vertical stabilizer?
What is the bulge on the top of the vertical stabilizer? : r/aviation
April 21, 2021 - I copied and pasted the direct ... takes you to a cut away view of the aircraft. ... Bulges and/or pods like that are typically antennas, sensors, beacons, various communications gear, and so on, AFAIK......
Reddit
reddit.com › r/aviation › does anyone know what that white hump is? i cought this at amsterdam last saturday
r/aviation on Reddit: Does anyone know what that white hump is? I cought this at Amsterdam last saturday
February 15, 2023 - No. WiFi is inside the aircraft. ... Wdym? I'm not saying this plane. B777 has the same dome. ... WiFi is to allow the passengers to connect to the IFE etc. It has to be inside the plane for that to work. ... Anymore? Not only that. ... Internet satellite receiver.