Beefsteak 305 Posted January 22, 2011 Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 I was waiting to pick my kids up from school yesterday afternoon and I was taking pictures of things flying overhead (As it was bright sunshine and the sky was like a "super highway" with planes) Any way as I took a photo of a "Ryan Air" plane on it's way from Dublin to the continent I noticed a bit of a strange site "Falling" away from the plane. I contacted the CAA and sent them some of the pics, as I was rather concened at the time, but I'm still waiting to hear back!! Heavily enhaced We've had some discusion on a Civilian aviation website that I go on and nobody can explain it either ("It's not ice" is the concensus of opinion though, as it seems to have been 'ejected' away from the plane rather than "Fell off" as this would have trailed behind and "followed" the plane for a bit and then not 'Spiralled' down as this did Quote Link to post Share on other sites
littlebro 234 Posted January 22, 2011 Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 Possibly the gent in seat 32f, wouldn't pay the Ryanair 'breathing surcharge' so was shown the door! !rotfl! Seriously though, quite worrying for those in the air and on the ground! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted January 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 I thought somebody had nipped out for a fag !! Seriously, it's worrying in so much that the CAA haven't had the decency to get back to me , to put my mind at rest, 24 hours after the event!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
carltongal 101 Posted January 22, 2011 Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 Its not something from the toilets is it you hear of these things happening from time to time Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Limey 242 Posted January 22, 2011 Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 It could be ice - if it came from the "lav overflow" it would initially stay in the slipstream, but then it's mass would cause it to fall - the spiraling effect would happen when the chunk fell into the wake turbulence from the plane which forms spirals from each wingtip. If it is an Airbus, or a newer Boeing, they are notorious for wake turbulence and considered "heavy" by ATC for wake avoidance! Wake turbulence, or "wingtip vortices" are generated at the wingtips and then descend at about 500ft/min. and get slowly bigger in diameter until they dissipate but they can hang around for several thousand feet in calm air! They can be lethal to small airplanes and give a bumpy ride to big ones! If you listen to a tower frequency at a large airport, and they have a relatively small airplane following an airbus out, you will often hear the warning "beware, wake turbulence" given to the smaller aircraft along with the "clear for takeoff" instructions. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted January 22, 2011 Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 Whatever it is why has it left a trail? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted January 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 I too made that mistake Eric , but if you look at the ' objects' trail , it goes away from the plane , not, (If it had come from the plane) 'with ' it!! IE it looks to have been thrown backwards faster than the plane is traveling forwards. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fynger 841 Posted January 22, 2011 Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 It could be owt...being a council plane....they keep painting double 'no-parking' lines in the sky round here too...but they keep vanishing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ashley 288 Posted January 23, 2011 Report Share Posted January 23, 2011 I reckon it's "chaff", anti missile defence, lol. wasn't on it's way to Israel was it? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tomlinson 879 Posted January 23, 2011 Report Share Posted January 23, 2011 Looks as though it could be a panel judging by its independent path and probably from an unpressurized baggage hold. The aircraft would have come down quick had it been a door. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Limey 242 Posted January 23, 2011 Report Share Posted January 23, 2011 I too made that mistake Eric , but if you look at the ' objects' trail , it goes away from the plane , not, (If it had come from the plane) 'with ' it!! IE it looks to have been thrown backwards faster than the plane is traveling forwards. Not sure how you figure that Beefy - the trail follows the contrail for a short while, then begins to fall. Also the wind must be taken into account, but an object ejected forcefully would be difficult to discriminate from an object that fell off without a lot of photos taken in the second or two after it was ejected. Remember that an object falling off would initially be travelling the same speed as the aircraft. Also, it leaves a vapour trail - which means it has moisture associated with it - either the product of combustion, or the object itself. I'm still betting on either ice, or a water discharge (which would immediately freeze at that altitude. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted January 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 If it had just "fallen off" the plane Eric , it's trajectory would be something like this. >>>>>>> being the direction of the aircraft and following the vapour trail. > then falling > away before > picking up it's V downwards V velocity V Etc But this one is 'fired' away from the plane like this <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< direction of plane being >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> < < < < V V ie ejected back along the vapour tail (The plane is going left to right!! it would be a lot easier to explain if it were going right to left!!). If it were to have just dropped off it would be the same as in the first diagramme . Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted January 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 This rotten system .!!! I just took ages typing out the arrows to show the trajectory , post it , and the bloody system ignores all my commands and puts it into a proper order!!! I'll draw it and post what I mean tomorrow (Bed time now!!) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 Yes it strips out spaces etc. Will look forward to your drawing? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Limey 242 Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 I see what you mean, but I wonder if it was propelled backwards by the jet exhaust - it seems to be in the contrail until it slows enough for gravity to take over. Hard to believe a metal part would create a trail like that. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted January 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 I've finally had a reply from the CAA !! I got a phone call around lunchtime. Him..."You've got a good camera there" Me .."Yes , it's a Canon 40D with a Canon 100-400 usm IS lens attatched. Him.." After we've all looked at your pictures none of us have seen anything like it before, and therefore cannot come to a conclusion" Me.. "Good job we didn't here a big bang on Friday then!!" Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Limey 242 Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 Damn - I thought they would at least hazard a guess! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 Perhaps its a UFO! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
littlebro 234 Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 Strewth, what will O'Leary charge for one of those? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted January 25, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 Rightyo, a rough sketch as promised (Been a bit busy today! A.) Shows the trajectory if something had fallen off, like ice, it would follow the plane along slightly, then drop more or less vertically. B.) Shows what it actually did, it went back along the vapour trail as if ejected, then spirals down. I'm not ruling out ice falling over an exhaust port and thus being thrown backwards at a rate of knots before falling away. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 Have you thought about contacring the airline? Do you know which flight it was? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted January 25, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 Sorry missed this. The CAA should have contacted them !! I did furnish them with full details (IE flying west to east, over mid Cheshire, 3.13 pm , etc,looks like it could be from Dublin enroute to the continent etc) but it did no good. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Limey 242 Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 By "I did furnish them with full details" do you mean the airline, or the CAA? If you didn't, I would email Ryanair directly with the pictures and timing and see if they come back with anything. I have had good luck contacting the airlines in the US with questions. However, the replies are rarely very prompt! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
littlebro 234 Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 Email them to Ryanair & cc them to Easy Jet! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted January 25, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 Trouble is I'm being a bit mercenary here, I want payment for a scoop like this , and I know full well that if I send them to a "Big "company they'll find a way of lifting them and offering no remitance!!..........LOL Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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