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The smoke trails emitted by display jet aircraft are produced by injecting diesel into the hot exhaust of the engine. Coloured smoke is produced by mixing dye with the diesel.A

The "smoke" trails that appear behind other aircraft are actually known as con-trails and are in fact water vapour. The warm moist air that comes from the jet mixes with the cold air in the sky. It creates a condensation trail or con-trail.

Con-trails are also generated on the aircraft's wingtips. Again, this is simply moisture that is generated. When the air flows OVER the wing, it has to travel further and therefore it speed up. Since it speed us, the pressure drops. The drop in the air pressure will cause any water vapour suspended in the air to condensate and form into a cloud.

The effect is dependent largely on environmental conditions. The air temperature, dewpoint, and humidity all have to fall into a certain range for the conditions to be right for contrail formation. Since these conditions change from altitude to altitude and from place to place, it is not uncommon for aircraft to generate a very definite trail at one altitude, and none at all at a slightly lower or higher altitude.

There have been many hoaxes and conspiracy theories relating to contrails over the years. Some have claimed that contrails are a secret method of controlling weather, while others have claimed that contrails are used to spread diseases and such. None of these claims has ever been proven, nor has a shred of evidence ever been discovered to validate these claims. Many studies have been made regarding the environmental effects of contrails with most showing the effects to be negligible if not completely unmeasurable.

Source:
A The Dye Team: Royal Air Force "Red Arrows" Support Team Web Page.


See related links.
Smoke trail is the trail of smoke left behind by an aircraft as it flies in the sky.

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Q: What causes the smoke trail that is often seen behind aircraft?
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Related questions

What is smoke trail?

Smoke trail is the trail of smoke left behind by an aircraft as it flies in the sky.


How the lines of smoke are created behind a jet-plane?

If you're referring to the smoke coming off the wing tips of aircraft that would be a wing tip vortex which is what occurs from the induced drag created by the wings of the aircraft as it creates lift. the smoke that comes from the exhausts of the jet turbines is not actually smoke but water vapor called con trails. the higher temperature water vapor from the exhaust mixes with the cooler temperature air outside of the exhaust and causes the water to condense making the con trails as the aircraft travels through the air.


Why does some plane leave a smoke trail and some don't?

If you are asking about contrails it is dependent on the temperatures aloft. At colder temperatures the water vapor in the exhaust condenses and causes the contrails you see. The blue angels and other aerobatic-performance aircraft inject a special oil "smoke oil" into their exhaust in order to leave the smoke trail you see at airshows. But the "smoke trail" you see behind civilian and commercial aircraft isn't smoke at all, it is water vapor formed as described above.


Can you use e cigarettes on an aircraft?

No, you cannot smoke e-cigarettes on an aircraft.


What causes the smoke-belching vihicles?

what is the causes of smoke belching


Can you smoke on an aircraft?

On most airlines in most countries NO. On private aircraft it is up to the owner.


What causes smoke coughs?

The smoke.


Is it true or false lung cancer often results from environmental causes?

It is true. Often smoking will cause it or even smoke from steel mills.


How does smoke affect the ozone layer?

Smoke causes air pollution and then causes global warming. It then causes ozone depletion.


What causes motorbike smoke?

The main cause of motorbike smoke is when the diesel is being burned and used in the engine. This smoke causes pollution to the environment.


Does government have anything to do with the white smoke planes leave behind?

Their are people that believe that the contrails left by aircraft are some government conspiracy but this is not the case. They are simply water vapor trails. They are triggered by the water vapor in the exhaust of aircraft engines or changes in air pressure over the wings surface.


What percentage of cigarette smoke causes secondhand smoke?

over 90%