Here's a random question a friend of mine keeps asking me and I keep coming up with different answers.
How come, sometimes planes look REALLY high in the sky, like you can't tell what they are, how many engines they are, or any markings on them. Yet, sometimes you can make out how many engines are on a plane, and the painting of the livery, etc?
__________________ "Calgary Flames is the best team in all the land" - My Brainwashed Son
Here's a random question a friend of mine keeps asking me and I keep coming up with different answers.
How come, sometimes planes look REALLY high in the sky, like you can't tell what they are, how many engines they are, or any markings on them. Yet, sometimes you can make out how many engines are on a plane, and the painting of the livery, etc?
I can usually always tell the type of plane cruising by at altitude, but that is more because I'm a raging avgeek. Every now and then I do get stumped by something.
Fun fact: to tell the difference between a 747 and an A340 watch the contrails. The A340's 4 engine contrails will stay separated, but a 747's will blend into two contrails a short distance behind the aircraft.
Here's a random question a friend of mine keeps asking me and I keep coming up with different answers.
How come, sometimes planes look REALLY high in the sky, like you can't tell what they are, how many engines they are, or any markings on them. Yet, sometimes you can make out how many engines are on a plane, and the painting of the livery, etc?
I'm going to take a very uneducated guess here. But I think it has to do with many combinations of factors.
Distance and vision: When 2 identical objects are REALLY far away, they may appear to be the same size, however, one may be closer than the other. A lot of times, people can't tell if something is approaching until it gets much closer. Is it possible that one could be close enough to make out the number of engines? Unlikely, but who knows.
Lighting: The position of the sun could very well affect your vision. The amount of glare could affect what you can and can't see. As well as the reflection of sunlight off the actual aircraft.
Aside from that, I can't think of much else. (I tried to think about what I've learned in my perceptions class)
Here's a random question a friend of mine keeps asking me and I keep coming up with different answers.
How come, sometimes planes look REALLY high in the sky, like you can't tell what they are, how many engines they are, or any markings on them. Yet, sometimes you can make out how many engines are on a plane, and the painting of the livery, etc?
Probably because you don't know how far away they are, rather than how high up they are. You have no way of judging horizontal distance away from you, so unless its directly overhead, the size of the aircraft can't be used to determine altitude.
The higher up it is, the further away it can be, and still be in the same spot and same size in the sky as something lower and closer.
Probably because you don't know how far away they are, rather than how high up they are. You have no way of judging horizontal distance away from you, so unless its directly overhead, the size of the aircraft can't be used to determine altitude.
The higher up it is, the further away it can be, and still be in the same spot and same size in the sky as something lower and closer.
Atmospheric conditions greatly effect visibility and perception. Sometimes looking west the Rockies look to be right in your face, where other times they look really distant.
I think lighting is the biggest factor as on a bright sunny day with a fresh snowfall on the mountains they look really close. Duller, overcast days they look far off.
Fun fact: to tell the difference between a 747 and an A340 watch the contrails. The A340's 4 engine contrails will stay separated, but a 747's will blend into two contrails a short distance behind the aircraft.
Really?
The last number of days have been very clear here and yesterday I noticed a number of four-engine aircraft fly overhead where the contrails stayed separated. When I checked PlaneFinder to see what was overhead they were 747's not A340s. Unless you mean that there are 4 contrails with the A340 that stay separated? Perhaps it's an atmospheric difference between Alberta and the Maritimes?
I snapped a few pictures with my Blackberry, when I get a chance I'll upload them to see if you can see what I mean.
__________________ "Calgary Flames is the best team in all the land" - My Brainwashed Son
Recently ran across an Airplane concept design that Lockheed was working on, the CL-1201.
Some highlights:
- Wingspan of 1120ft, length of 560ft (2.5x longer than a 747)
- Nuclear powered
- Can stay airborne for 41 days
- Two proposed variants: Troop Transport and Flying aircraft carrier mode.
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Rather than start a new thread, the people that might be able to help me will be reading here anyway.
My brother was scheduled on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Doha today. (April 3 at 3:30am local Malaysian time). To my relatives in KL they assume he got off fine. I got a text message from Flight Stats.com that flight QR1623 departed on time. Then I got another saying it was cancelled.
I can't seem to find any information about what he heck is going on about it. The toll free telephone number for Qatar is Monday-Friday 9-5 which doesn't do me much good finding out if/why his flight was cancelled or what to do about connecting flights.
Any help folks? Feel free to PM me rather than have the thread bogged down in my personal situation.
PS: I'm seriously considering putting in a video for the aviation show (although I don't really know the mechanical stuff that well)
__________________ "Calgary Flames is the best team in all the land" - My Brainwashed Son
Rather than start a new thread, the people that might be able to help me will be reading here anyway.
My brother was scheduled on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Doha today. (April 3 at 3:30am local Malaysian time). To my relatives in KL they assume he got off fine. I got a text message from Flight Stats.com that flight QR1623 departed on time. Then I got another saying it was cancelled.
I can't seem to find any information about what he heck is going on about it. The toll free telephone number for Qatar is Monday-Friday 9-5 which doesn't do me much good finding out if/why his flight was cancelled or what to do about connecting flights.
Any help folks? Feel free to PM me rather than have the thread bogged down in my personal situation.
The website for KLIA (Kuala Lumpur International Airport) listed the flight as departed.
Recently ran across an Airplane concept design that Lockheed was working on, the CL-1201.
Some highlights:
- Wingspan of 1120ft, length of 560ft (2.5x longer than a 747)
- Nuclear powered
- Can stay airborne for 41 days
- Two proposed variants: Troop Transport and Flying aircraft carrier mode.
Shows cancelled, my flight tracking app on my iPhone show cancelled. Weather looks fine for both AUH and KUL. Nothing anything popping up Airliners.net. So if it was cancelled, which is likely is probably due to mechanical. It may have departed and returned to the airport. I can't find anything to help you out really.
