Vapor trail?

Question

why does the vapor trail from jets and high flying passenger planes stay in the sky so long "these Days" I remember as a kid (50's) that trail was gone like now.

Answer 1

It could just be the way it appeared when you were a kid, but if it is in the air longer, as the vapor trail is a result of water being emmited into the atmosphere by the fuel combustion, maybe the engines today produce more water than engines of the 50's.  I don't know if that would be a result of increased thrust, or something else in the process.

Just a guess...

Answer 2

The planes  fly higher now, its snow till it hit the lower atmosphere then turns back into a gas.

Answer 3

It's kind of a misnomer.  It's really a condensation trail (contrail).

As far as jets go, the conditions under which contrails form are virtually the same for any kind of aircraft.

The ones that persist a long time are made of ice crystals instead of water droplets.

You'll see the long-lasting ones in winter a lot more than in summer just due to the temperature at altitude.

Answer 4

did you live in a different state in the 50's?  It all depends on the conditions, like the temperature and amount of water in the air at the particular altitude.  Many times, they disappear right away, and other times they last for hours.  It also depends on wind and wind shear up there, as they also can break up and that makes them more difficult to see.  The engines these days are a bit different, mostly quieter and more fuel efficient.  Of course, there are also a LOT more jets flying these days than there were in the fifties.