Sky Loops - An Unidentified Aircraft

[RadioFlyerMan]

Just took off from my back yard and looked up to the East to see a strange pattern of loops (horizontal) positioned over Traverse City, Michigan, about 35 miles away. Never seen this before. It was difficult to identify the type of aircraft, but it certainly was not the expected passenger plane. The event lasted for a good 45 minutes before he flew off to the South East. Enjoy!

 

[Phantomrain.org]

Just took off from my back yard and looked up to the East to see a strange pattern of loops (horizontal) positioned over Traverse City, Michigan, about 35 miles away. Never seen this before. It was difficult to identify the type of aircraft, but it certainly was not the expected passenger plane. The event lasted for a good 45 minutes before he flew off to the South East. Enjoy!

I have often wondered how much freedom you our allowed in the sky, I guess this sets the bar if its a private plane.

 

[old man mavic]

the pilot was completely loopy if you ask me

 

[RadioFlyerMan]

I have often wondered how much freedom you our allowed in the sky, I guess this sets the bar if its a private plane.

Yeah, it was definitely weird. Such consistent circles. Especially in a location either near or over the airport in Traverse City with traffic from major hubs. I suppose the “allowed” aspect is they were at a very high altitude.

 

[FlyingFilmmaker]

That is fascinating! Looks like fun. ? From what I've heard it seems like pilots can do pretty much whatever they want in uncontrolled/low traffic airspace.

 

[virtualphotographers]

Con trails? A jet doing loops like that??

 

[DaveS]

Seems like it would be the military testing something "that doesn't exist," or a stunt pilot practicing for a big upcoming race, although the altitude seems high for a stunt or racing pilot.

 

[GregS]

Just took off from my back yard and looked up to the East to see a strange pattern of loops (horizontal) positioned over Traverse City, Michigan, about 35 miles away. Never seen this before. It was difficult to identify the type of aircraft, but it certainly was not the expected passenger plane. The event lasted for a good 45 minutes before he flew off to the South East. Enjoy!

Was that video in real time? If so, then we do not have an aircraft that will go that fast in a loop. Would pull too many G's. So it has to be slowed down.

 

[virtualphotographers]

Fireworks or a model rocket??

 

[SkyeHigh]

Just Sky Writing...

 

[RkyMtnHigh]

Just took off from my back yard and looked up to the East to see a strange pattern of loops (horizontal) positioned over Traverse City, Michigan, about 35 miles away. Never seen this before. It was difficult to identify the type of aircraft, but it certainly was not the expected passenger plane. The event lasted for a good 45 minutes before he flew off to the South East. Enjoy!

Cool video nonetheless. Now I'm going to be "that guy" that sees fault in what the 911 dispatcher said. ? "Minneapolis Tower ARTCC" isn't really a facility. Those are two separate entities. Minneapolis ARTCC is one facility, which is strictly all radar/non-radar since there are no windows and covers several States. Minneapolis Tower covers normally a 5-mile radius around the airport. But I agree with one of the previous comments, if that is in real time then that's an unknown type of aircraft. If the video is sped up then it could be any number of aircraft doing turns in the sky. Either way it's pretty cool.

 

[hiflyer201]

Yeah... nice try not buying it.

 

[RadioFlyerMan]

Was that video in real time? If so, then we do not have an aircraft that will go that fast in a loop. Would pull too many G's. So it has to be slowed down.

Watch it again, it will tell you. The first and last clips are real time, and it takes quite a bit of time for a complete loop. The center clips are time lapse. Keep an eye on the left side.

 

[hiflyer201]

Are we sayin these are contrails? Well they aren't because contrails dissipate in the high winds aloft where they are formed. In these the earliest loop is more defined than the later ones. Even a lowly J3 cub would be 100 miles away in 45 minutes. Power comes off at the top of a loop and these seem to indicate that power was increased. Try again with this.

 

[sdold]

It's probably just someone practicing aerobatics with the smoke turned on. It's not normal to go out and just loops for 45 minutes, but aerobatic pilots are a little different sometimes.

 

[RadioFlyerMan]

He was making horizontal circles... each taking a minute or more. Not vertical loops.

 

[sdold]

Are we sayin these are contrails? Well they aren't because contrails dissipate in the high winds aloft where they are formed. In these the earliest loop is more defined than the later ones. Even a lowly J3 cub would be 100 miles away in 45 minutes. Power comes off at the top of a loop and these seem to indicate that power was increased. Try again with this.

I guess if they were horizontal circles, they would be continuous. Hard to tell what it is. It may not be dense enough to be smoke. BTW that would be a pretty impressive J3, they Usually only go about 60 mph.