Thread: Contrails
View Single Post
  #2  
Old December 11th 06, 01:54 AM posted to rec.aviation.piloting,rec.aviation.student
Christopher Campbell[_1_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 29
Default Contrails

On Sun, 10 Dec 2006 15:51:49 -0800, Kevin Dunlevy wrote
(in article ):

I went for a walk before twilight yesterday morning. It was mild and clear,
with wind from the south at about 10 and 24 degrees Fahrenheit. There was
about a 2/3 moon high in the sky, and Orion and Pleiades had set.

I saw an airliner at cruise and thought I could see the landing light. Then
I realized the light was behind instead of ahead of the aircraft. I thought
that maybe at that altitude the sun was catching the contrail, although the
rest of the sky was still dark. Finally, I realized that the moon was
illuminating the contrail from above. Then I saw another airliner at cruise
on an opposite course. It was really cool to see the contrails at night,
illuminated by the moon. After I reversed course on my walk, I saw an
airliner and its contrail change course over the Gopher VOR, and another
airliner on a diverging course.

When I see aircraft from the ground, I often think the aircraft, pilot, crew
and passengers are a force for life, pressing on against adversity toward
their destination. KD




You're a poetic sort, aren't you?