The truth about vapour trails

WHAT are they spraying on us? Nothing! Narda! Zilch!

Sorry to those who think otherwise but the trails that can be seen in the sky over the Mediterranean Coast are only aircraft, commercial or military transport, flying along designated airways, and to participate have to file a flight plan giving a lot of detail about the aircraft and themselves; if you stray, deviate or fail to respond to continuous communications from Controllers you could be shot down.

It has happened! Airway Delta809 , is one such “road” taking two way traffic above the Coast.

Aircraft engine exhaust gases, whatever the fuel used, mix with the dry ice crystals and form condensation which we see as white trails across the sky.

Depending purely on atmospheric conditions and the height of the aircraft the trails can disappear in seconds or can drift down and expand to form cirrus clouds, mixing with nature’s own cirrus and  staying for some hours.

Many people throughout the world, with many living along this Coast believe that this phenomena is “Big Brother” spraying chemicals on us!

Aerial spraying is prevalent throughout the world, but usually at lower altitudes, so let’s look at some of these.

Many know about Agent Orange used in Vietnam, no comment. Seeding clouds to induce rain is common and the chemical used is usually silver-iodine. This has been going on since 1946, but has never been that successful.

Another aerial discharge that started in the forties was the releasing of aluminium tin foil, knows as  “windows” or “chaff” ; this was to confuse any radar missile locked on to your aircraft, and was used up to the Falkland War and probably later.

Incidentally the scaremongers often talk about aluminium being sprayed or dropped on us, and I wonder if this is what they are confused with.

Crop spraying was popular some years ago but is now virtually abandoned due to lack of control of the insecticides even at 50 feet! Not much chance to accurately spray a population from seven miles up.

Fire retardant is dropped on serious fires and finally there are the display aircraft that pump diesel fuel into the jet exhaust to produce smoke.

A lady  phoned up a talk radio station recently and said she saw an aircraft flying across the Coast and out to sea turning on and off its vapour trail. This coincided with the Spanish Military Day celebrations at Malaga; I wonder what that was; Patrulla Aguila?

Now to dispel some myths. When in use the Airways above us including D809 have two way traffic in vertical layers and there for it appears to observers that aircraft are going one way then turning round and coming back, spraying chemicals over us; incorrect assumption.

Observers have also said they only see condensation trails on certain days. This is due to Eurocontrol (European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation) selecting your route and don’t use all airways at all times.

Finally a favourite of mine is the misconception that aluminium additives are put in jet aviation fuel to spray us. The centre of a jet engine runs at about 1500 C, aluminium melts at about 800 C, so it would have no chance of coming out of the exhaust and the engine would soon stop.

Sleep safe it’s only condensation!