When flying the Longitude the other night I noticed that the contrails are black at night. Looked like engine trouble or something. Although it’s night condensation is condensation and the only time you get dark black smoke coming out the the engine is when there’s a problem with the engine both day and night. Anyone else seeing this?
I noticed very dark brown contrails coming from the FBW A320 during night flights. They reminded me of an old diesel engine exhaust.
Relax guys. It’s how it is real World. It’s all to do with the angle of the sun, horizon, angle of incidence to the sun, etc.
Real picture, real contrails. Real World.
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That’s a brilliant picture!
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Isn’t it?
See how the inboard contrails are wrapping around the outboards in the flow?
Beautiful.
Does the wrapping happen because the inboard ones are being caught in the outboard engines wake?
I’m not sure though that’s a distinct possibility.
If it’s a A340 then the inboards might be throttled back a little so producing a little less heat. I suspect that’s not the case as the Landing Lights suggest it’s not in the Cruise. It could be that the trailing edge of the wing is producing that effect.
Really don’t know. Perhaps someone who does could chime in.
Oooohhhh look at those toxins being released…… 
Yes - I am joking!
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This is not entirely the right example since this photo is taken at dusk/dawn where there’s still sunlight available. The black parts of the contrails are only black because they recieve shadows from the low sun.
Contrails at night are white (or grey as you wish) because of the white light reflected by the moon.
If there’s no moonlight they would hardly be visible or slightly from light from the ground.
Clouds aren’t black either at night right?
Just google: contrails at night
Ps. The rotational effect is causes by wake turbulence from the wingtips.
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You are right! On a night with full moonlight, the clouds are very pale, so to have black contrails is a joke, they should certainly be the same as the clouds at the same altitude, or lower if no other light is affecting them. This is not the biggest gripe, but must be an easy fix.
I suppose those of us who fly at night will just have to put up with this, as well as no AI aircraft lights and unrealistic ground lighting.
Is anyone else seeing pink floodlit cockpit lighting on other aircraft in the distance, or brightly lit complete aircraft at airports? All a bit of a mess really!
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Further to my last comment, here is an example to illustrate the issue
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