What is the smoke that comes out of planes called?

Contrails (/'k?ntre?lz/; short for condensation trails) or vapor trails are line-shaped clouds produced by aircraft engine exhaust or changes in air pressure, typically at aircraft cruising altitudes several miles above the Earth's surface. Contrails are composed primarily of water, in the form of ice crystals.



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The hot and humid air produced by the airplane's engine mixes with the cool and dry air outside of the airplane, resulting in the formation of contrails. In other words, contrails are condensation in the sky that manifest as white smoke.

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Not all aircraft produce contrails – they are estimated to occur in about 18% of flights. The air needs to be cool enough for the water to freeze, which is why they usually only appear above certain altitudes – typically 20,000ft (6km) Even fewer flights produce the most persistent contrails.

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Answer: The smoke is the result of a wheel which is not turning in flight making contact with a stationary runway. The wheel must accelerate to the landing speed very quickly. During that acceleration, there is a short time when the tire is skidding, which produces the smoke.

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While fuel dumps don't happen every day, they're also not uncommon. Nor do they usually represent a major emergency. In fact if an aircraft is taking the time to dump fuel before landing, that's likely an indication that the issue forcing the plane to land is serious but not critical.

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Condensation in Exhaust Gases As the airplane's engines release exhaust gases, moisture vapor is released as well. The cold temperature and low air pressure at high altitudes forces this moisture to condense, which creates the characteristic white smoke trail for which airplanes have become widely known.

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Opening an aircraft door is impossible while the plane is at cruising altitude or above 10,000 feet due to air pressure. However, as the plane gets lower, experts say it is possible for a door to open as the pressure outside equalizes with the pressure inside the plane.

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The biggest reason for flying at higher altitudes lies in fuel efficiency. The thin air creates less drag on the aircraft, which means the plane can use less fuel in order to maintain speed. Less wind resistance, more power, less effort, so to speak.

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