Intermittent smoke trails attributed to military aircraft at Saint-Ambroix in 2017

Summary

On 18 January 2017, a witness in Saint-Ambroix observed from his window two intermittent grey smoke trails in an otherwise clear sky, unlike typical aircraft contrails. No sound was heard, and apparent accelerations were noted. GEIPAN considered military aircraft flying at high altitude the most likely explanation, as maneuvers and distance can mask engine noise and produce discontinuous trails. The absence of radar data prevented definitive confirmation. Classified B.