Definition
Engines attached to the rear sides of the aircraft fuselage, rather than to the wings. This configuration is commonly paired with a T-tail, where the horizontal stabilizer is placed high on the vertical stabilizer to keep it clear of the engine exhaust and wing wake.
Plain English
The engines are bolted to the back of the fuselage, near the tail, instead of hanging under the wings.
Context Anchor
Seen in discussions of T-tail aircraft and how engine location affects tail design and airflow around the tail.
Derivation
‘Aft’ is a nautical term meaning ‘toward the rear of a vessel,’ carried over into aviation. ‘Fuselage’ comes from the French fuselé, meaning ‘spindle-shaped,’ describing the long, tapered body of the aircraft. So the phrase literally means ‘engines mounted on the spindle-shaped body, toward the rear.’
Why Pilots Care
Keeps the wing aerodynamically clean and reduces the chance of engine damage from debris kicked up during takeoff and landing.
Grounding Statement
Picture the engines attached near the back of the airplane’s body, with the tail surfaces arranged so they are not sitting directly in the engine airflow.
Intuition Check
Do not read aft fuselage-mounted engines as engines mounted on the tail itself. It means the engines are attached to the rear part of the airplane’s main body, ahead of or near the tail area.
Example Sentence 1
Because the aircraft has aft fuselage-mounted engines, the pilot pays close attention to the loading sheet to keep the center of gravity within limits.
Example Sentence 2
Pilots of aircraft with aft fuselage-mounted engines must be especially aware of pitch changes during power adjustments.