[Scan-DC] slow plane at Andrews

[Doug Kitchener]

Include me in; I've also noticed these flying optical illusions... pretty weird sensation, especially when you don't here any jet noise to speak of...

----------------------------------------
> From: dewey3 at gmail.com
> To: scan-dc at mailman.qth.net
> Date: Mon, 4 Apr 2011 10:01:24 -0400
> Subject: Re: [Scan-DC] slow plane at Andrews
>
> It's very interesting that this conversation is happening. Several years
> ago, a co-worker told me that he didn't care what anyone said, there was
> technology that the gov't would not tell us because he PERSONALLY saw AF-1
> standing still once in the Andrews area. Being an aviation buff who has
> also taken an intro flight, I just didn't see HOW this was at all possible,
> and always thought him to be a little cook-coo when I would see him (he
> still always remained a good friend). Well, I haven't talked to him in
> quite a while, but the conversation here has restored my confidence in him
> :)
>
> Dewey
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: scan-dc-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:scan-dc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Joel Kahn
> Sent: Monday, April 04, 2011 09:52
> To: scan-dc at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: Re: [Scan-DC] slow plane at Andrews
>
> Rick & Cathy:
>
> I, too, have had a similar experience when I used to drive on MD 450 near
> Bowie. Looking West toward Andrews, you could see these HUGE planes just
> hanging there! I actually pulled onto the shoulder (when the turf farm was
> there that is now a shopping center & houses!) and watched for several
> minutes. What I realized was that the combination of plane size, direction
> and atmospherics were all in play there. The plane was coming in for a
> landing, so air speed was reduced, but because it was so low to the horizon
> and yet at a fairly large distance, the atmosphere magnified the size to
> appear 3 or 4 times larger than the actual plane (usually a large cargo
> plane coming from Germany/Europe) the direction was slightly away from
> horizontal, so it appeared slower, again magnified by the position on the
> horizon. It seemed to take forever, so I timed it and within three minutes
> it was gone, so it was not really unusually slow. It is a really freaky
> occurrence when you see it.
>
> jk
>
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