Historical Events  Science
Jet Engines

Alternate:
Jet engines fully underneath the wings

Current:
Jet engines forward of the wings

How are Jet Engines in passenger aircraft fixed?

People have noticed something odd about the placement of the engines on passenger jet aircraft.

They remember them being fully undermneath the wings, but are suprised to see today they are forward of them, and have been for many years. 

This needs some explanation, because in earlier designs different positions were being tried out, so indeed some would be directly under the wings, and even some above them, for example. There's a detailed discussion on Reddit where various knowledgeable engineers, etc explain the details of them being in different positions, but still the feeling amongst many is that the new placement is a surprise.

A matter of perspective?

One argument is that the engines have been placed in front of the wings for decades but people don't look closely enough, and unless you look at them from the side directly, for example the front, or more commonly from an angle as they fly overhead, it's not immediately clear how they are placed.

What's puzzling people is the reason for the "move". If the manufacturers were to just explain it away by saying they found it was more fuel efficient, or made the flight more stable etc it would dismissed as nothing special, but they are actually saying it has always been that way...