reply to post by WeRpeons
In addition to NASA the USAF have also produced a contrail guide.
www.af.mil...
I would suggest that you download the following app for your mobile phone. Obviously not all aircraft are covered but it provides the data of height,
speed and flight path. In future it might assist you in working out what you are seeing. Perspective has fooled a lot of people when observing
contrails. Flight Radar also has a playback feature.
www.flightradar24.com...
www.flightradar24.com...
See following post that explains the National Airspace System. It also has links to SkyVector showing maps of Upper Air Routes. You can zoom into your
region to see the routes.
www.abovetopsecret.com...
I would imagine that what you witnessed in relation to the steep climb was simply perspective.
That said airliners have tremendous power and can be exceptionally manouverable. Boeing 757s, military and civilian, that display at airshows.
Practice display during 2005
I found the following thesis which some might find interesting?
An Examination of the Hanson Contrail Forecast Algorithm Under Low Relative Humidity Conditions.
Thesis by Robert P. Asbury III, Captain, USAF
www.dtic.mil...
edit on 6/1/2013 by tommyjo because: additional info added
