GEMS: Separating wheat from chaff

When the exhaust heat from an aircraft engine, particularly a jet engine, enters the atmosphere at varying altitudes, depending on temperatures and dew points, it creates a visible cloud stream. In pilot speak; this stream is called a “contrail,” short for condensation trail. The pilot speak verb for creating a contrail is “conning.” Aviators try to avoid conning when people are shooting bullets at them because contrails make them easy targets. Aviators don’t worry much about conning when no bullets are involved. Contrails do not harm people on the ground any more than clouds do.

Aluminum injected into the atmosphere by an aircraft is called “chaff.” Chaff is like shredded foil or chewing gum wrappers. Reflected chaff forms confusing images on radar screens. Aviators use chaff to try to confuse radar operators into directing bullets at where they’ve been instead of where they’re going. Chaff does not harm people on the ground. Bombs from airplanes that get through radar screens using chaff do.

The spreading of chemicals into the atmosphere from aircraft is called “cloud seeding.” Cloud seeding has been used to try to make rain. It has been proven to be about as effective as rain dancing in that regard. Cloud seeding has not been demonstrated to cause harm to people on the ground. Heart attack or injury from rain dancing might be another matter.

In light of all the climate change demagoguery we hear these days, it would not be surprising to find atmospheric alteration research happening somewhere. However, any chemical spraying of the scale the chemtrail conspiracy theorists lay claim to would certainly be known within the aviation community. After all, someone would have to fly all of those missions and the next best thing to flying is talking about it later. If such discussion exists, it is taking place somewhere outside of this old aviator’s circle.

Cliff Harris, I really enjoy your reading Weather Gems each week. Your questions and observations regarding carbon-caused weather change are spot on. However, you might want to think about running the DVD Bob with no last name dropped off through the shredder. It’s possible that it can be used as chaff to deflect the bullets coming your way for letting conspiracy theory infect your otherwise well thought out and informative column.

BOB LaRUE

Hauser