What kind of aircraft is the aircraft cable?
In the past 10 days, the topic of "aircraft cable pulling" has aroused heated discussions on social media and news platforms. Many netizens took photos of the white trails left by planes in the sky as they flew by, and wondered what kind of plane caused these "strings". This article will combine hot topics and scientific explanations across the Internet to unveil the mystery of this phenomenon for you.
1. Scientific principles of aircraft cable pulling

Aircraft cables, officially known as "contrails" or "trail clouds", are ice crystal clouds formed by the combination of engine exhaust and cold air when an aircraft is flying at high altitudes. This phenomenon usually occurs at altitudes above 8,000 meters and in environments with temperatures below -40°C.
2. Recent popular aircraft cable pulling incidents
| Date | location | event description | heat index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-11-05 | Beijing | Multiple planes pull wires simultaneously to form a grid-like pattern | ★★★★☆ |
| 2023-11-08 | Shanghai | Rainbow-colored plane pull string sparks UFO speculation | ★★★☆☆ |
| 2023-11-12 | Guangzhou | Military transport plane cable pulls cause special concern | ★★★★★ |
3. Common types of aircraft producing cables
| Aircraft type | Typical models | Drawing characteristics | frequency of occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civil aviation aircraft | Boeing 737, Airbus A320 | Slender, short lasting | high frequency |
| military transport aircraft | Yun-20, C-17 | Strong and long lasting | IF |
| high altitude reconnaissance aircraft | U-2, Global Hawk | Special shapes and abnormal trajectories | low frequency |
4. The five issues that netizens are most concerned about recently
1. Why are the cables on some aircraft so obvious?
2. What is the difference between the cables of military aircraft and civilian aircraft?
3. Will aircraft cables affect the climate?
4. Why can I sometimes see multiple parallel pull lines?
5. How are the special color cords formed?
5. Expert interpretation
Aviation experts say the visibility of a plane's pull cord depends largely on atmospheric conditions. In weather with higher humidity, the drawstrings will last longer. Because military aircraft fly at higher altitudes and may carry special equipment, their pull lines are often more spectacular. Multiple parallel lines are usually caused by multiple aircraft flying on the same route.
6. Common misunderstandings about aircraft cables
| misunderstanding | facts |
|---|---|
| The pull cord is the plane spraying chemicals | It is actually ice crystals formed by the condensation of water vapor. |
| All aircraft generate pull lines | Requires specific atmospheric conditions to form |
| Pulling cords can harm human health | Harmless, the composition is the same as natural clouds |
7. How to identify special aircraft
1. Observe the shape of the cable: Military aircraft often perform maneuvering flights, and the trajectory of the cable is irregular.
2. Pay attention to the flying altitude: Reconnaissance aircraft usually fly at an altitude of more than 20,000 meters.
3. Check the flight speed: Supersonic aircraft will produce special shock wave wakes
4. Pay attention to official information: major military activities usually have relevant announcements
8. Future trends
With the development of aviation technology, new aircraft are adopting contrail reduction technology to reduce their impact on the environment. At the same time, aerospace enthusiasts’ attention to special aircraft cables continues to rise, and it is expected that the popularity of related topics will remain for some time.
Through the detailed analysis of this article, I believe you will have a more scientific understanding of the phenomenon of "aircraft cable pulling". The next time you see a white trail in the sky, you'll be able to identify like an expert what aircraft left the trail.
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