"Tony Goetz" wrote

A great example of this is when the space shuttle lands, particularly at
Edwards (at KSC it tends to be humid so water vapor forms in the vortices
and masks the refraction). I've noticed it a few times and it is mainly
visible in video pointed right down the runway. Super high wing loading, I
would guess.

I had always thought that was mainly due to the fact that the air coming off
the bottom of the wing was hot as **** from re-entry. Perhaps some of both?
--
Jim in NC