Simviation Forum - how do aircraft make smoke?

Jun 19^th, 2005 at 10:02am

Theis Offline
Colonel
Always somewhere, sometime..
Rødovre, Denmark

Gender:
Posts: 6116

i have always wondered when looking at planes at airshows

Cheers Theis

Bar by Mees

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #1 - Jun 19^th, 2005 at 10:03am

Craig. Offline
Colonel
Birmingham

Gender:
Posts: 18590

I believe its a dye or something simmilar that is released into the exhaust fumes behind the aircraft.

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #2 - Jun 19^th, 2005 at 10:04am

Craig. Offline
Colonel
Birmingham

Gender:
Posts: 18590

heres how its done by the reds
http://www.raf.mod.uk/reds/dyeteam.html

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #3 - Jun 19^th, 2005 at 12:17pm

C Offline
Colonel
Earth

Posts: 13144

I believe its a diesel and dye mixture injected into the exhaust gas of the aircraft. Basically the diesel makes the smoke, the dye then gives the colour.

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #4 - Jun 19^th, 2005 at 2:52pm

ozzy72 Offline
Global Moderator
Pretty scary huh?
Madsville

Gender:
Posts: 37122

I find being perforated by flak is effective Grin

There are two types of aeroplane, Spitfires and everything else that wishes it was a Spitfire!

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #5 - Jun 21^st, 2005 at 1:21am

Boss_BlueAngels Offline
Colonel
I fly airplanes upside
down for fun.
Snohomish

Gender:
Posts: 696

For the US demo teams they simply use vegtible oil and spray that into the exhaust. Actually, almost all of the planes in the US use veggy oil now, even the props.

The day is always better when you're flying upside down.&&&&www.fight2flyphoto.com&&&&Canon RebelXT&&Canon 18-55mm&&Sigma 10-20mm F/4-6.3&&Sigma 100-300mm F/4-6.3&&Sigma 50-500mm F/4-6.3

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #6 - Jun 21^st, 2005 at 4:26pm

Woolie.co.uk Offline
Colonel
Home airport: EGMA
England

Gender:
Posts: 86

Or it could be the smoke that comes out of the pilots eyes when he realises that in fact he is sharing his cockpit with a wasp. Wink

&&

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #7 - Jun 24^th, 2005 at 3:47pm

Hype Ex Member

Not to be contradictory, Boss, but where did you hear it was vegetable oil?

Vegetable oil is quite flammable, and may not be the best choice for smoke.

Fog (as in the stuff you'd see in concerts, etc) is made by blowing a mist of MINERAL oil over a heating element...I'd always just assumed this was the same thing in airshow grade fog....vegetable oil just seems a bit too volatile to me....but I've been wrong before. lol

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #8 - Jun 24^th, 2005 at 3:49pm

Craig. Offline
Colonel
Birmingham

Gender:
Posts: 18590

Diesel isnt exactly water. But its used for the red arrows.

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #9 - Jun 24^th, 2005 at 3:51pm

Craig. Offline
Colonel
Birmingham

Gender:
Posts: 18590

Quote:

When Bartlett says, "Smoke -- on!" each pilot pulls a lever, releasing biodegradable, paraffin-based smoke from the exhaust nozzles of the jets.

from a Blue Angels info site.

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #10 - Jun 24^th, 2005 at 3:53pm

Hype Ex Member

Paraffin actually makes much more sense as it would be less volatile and it would also have a longer life....great tip, Craig! Thanks!

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #11 - Jun 27^th, 2005 at 3:03am

Boss_BlueAngels Offline
Colonel
I fly airplanes upside
down for fun.
Snohomish

Gender:
Posts: 696

I just always heard airshow announcers saying it was veggy oil and making comments that the only environmental problems it caused was excess fat. Grin

The day is always better when you're flying upside down.&&&&www.fight2flyphoto.com&&&&Canon RebelXT&&Canon 18-55mm&&Sigma 10-20mm F/4-6.3&&Sigma 100-300mm F/4-6.3&&Sigma 50-500mm F/4-6.3

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #12 - Jun 27^th, 2005 at 5:16am

Hagar Offline
Colonel
My Spitfire Girl
Costa Geriatrica

Posts: 33159

Someone told me that baby oil gives the best results with piston engines.

Quote:

The Exxon Elite Twister is an Extra300S.

Mark uses an environmentally friendly smoke oil, "baby oil" through the sequence to emphasise the flightpath of the Exxon Elite Twister through the display. I am often asked how does the smoke not get in way of the pilots view - I can assure you that it does, particularly when flying backwards, the cockpit will fill with smoke and take seconds to clear!

http://66.249.93.104/search?q=cache:T0CYuZITKukJ:www.yakuk.com/EA300-com.doc+air...

Founder & Sole Member - Grumpy's Over the Hill Club for Veteran Virtual Aviators
Member of the Fox Four Group

Need help? Try Grumpy's Lair

My photo gallery

Back to top

IP Logged

	Search the archive: