<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Wacky questions

May 13, 2002

Why are American flags displayed backward on the sides of airplanes? -- Pandora Nousianen, Highlands Ranch

The union -- the blue field with the stars on it -- is always closest to the nose of the airplane, say flag etiquette experts. Thus, when the flag is on the plane's left, the flag looks as it usually does, stars on the left, stripes to the right. But when the flag is on the plane's right side, the union is also on the right, making the flag appear reversed. We're told it's an artistic thing, so the flag appears to be blowing in the wind created by the plane's movement -- though we question how many people can actually see it once the plane's in flight.</font>