Wow, this is by far the best picture I have seen to date. Now I'm very confused!

Wow, now THAT's a nice contrail photo, HowardRoark

It must be one of those new 747's equipped with pulse-detonation engines. I hear they get great fuel economy, but the passengers have to wear tinfoil beanies to shield them from the bogon rays.

[Edited on 2-6-2004 by Amet Khan]

I don't think any PDE engines are in production yet. Actually, I was thinking that the smoke ring effect might be caused by a hush kit add on. Who knows?

Ive seen aircraft from A-340s to Citation Jets make contrails like that.
I think certain conditions cause contrails to form in that fashion

(ill try to get a picture of a similar contrail and post it)

[Edited on 2-6-2004 by truthseekerX]

iust saw contrails exactly like that not long ago and didnt know they were that big a deal

Originally posted by intensity
Wow, this is by far the best picture I have seen to date. Now I'm very confused!

now i need a camera like that lol....oh yea ive seen these many times...MANY but i actually SAW what type of planes they were so i didnt care much.....i live in new york city....would it be rare to see military cargo planes landing in the domestic airports of NYC everyday.....see them everyday after school while riding on the subway

Hi guys, yesterday my partner and I spent a great day back at the location where I took the clear vapour trail picture you've all seen. Beautifull blue sky and fantastic coastline...we both kept one eye on the sky just in case anything came along.
It did.
A 747 in fact. Nothing out of the ordinary at first, we saw it coming along then right over head. We watched it's vapour trail and it was very normal looking...for a while. The aircraft continued away into the distance but to my amazement a long section of the contrail changed into what you see in the above photograph. And I mean exactly!
Now, to make me really take notice another 747 came along about half an hour later and did the same thing.
These two planes took some time for their contrails to change shape as opposed to the plane that produced the above photograph (it was that shape as the plane flew along.)
Well guys...I have to admit it doesn't look good. I thought I had some evidence of a different type of aircraft but it now seems I recorded clear evidence of how amazing nature can be when it plays with wind and ice crystals.
Now that I'm looking up at the sky more I'm starting to see how planes can make very interesting trails and at times no trail at all... then suddenly produce one. Thermal layers and all that.
To be honest...if a 747 can make that trail then I think that's what people (me included) are mis-identifying as being of exotic nature. I only want the truth in life and if the truth is that exotic propulsion is a myth then I can live with that.

Here's hoping aurora lives!
Keep watching the skies and get your cameras out...just in case.