someoldguy, on 04 May 2011 - 06:44 PM, said:
Ladies and gentlemen, let me see if I've summarized the Phoenix flares properly.
1. It's possible to calculate how high the flares were based on the angle of view and the distance of the mountains from the point where the flares were seen. We may not be able to be 100 percent precise, but at least we might get a minimum value for the height.
Yes...
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2. The flares' rate of descent will be constant, just as any other rate of descent is constant. (Roughly 9.8 meters per second squared for acceleration due to gravity.) This also makes it fairly easy to estimate how far they've fallen. (One problem with this might be deflection of the trajectory due to wind, if any.)
Yes, but you have to also take into account that the flares are not in a free-fall. They have parachutes attached which allow them to fall at a fairly consistent rate, however, it has also been noted that the heat from the flares themselves will create what is essentially an "updraft" which will slow their descent rate further. Also, the parachutes will be effected to a greater extent by any prevailing winds than the flares would on their own with no parachute.
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3. The Air Force wasn't aware that the group had dropped flares until some time after they'd given their initial statement.
Technically, yes, but take the following into consideration:
- The person contacted was the public relations officer and wouldn't have necessarily been informed of the detailed activities of the flight of A-10's.
- The flight of A-10's involved weren't stationed at the air base, but were visiting as part of training exercises, so when asked if there were any operations being run by the air base, or if any of the base's A-10's were in the air at the time, the answer of "No" is technically correct.
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4. The guy who dressed up as an ET for the press conference is an idiot.
Yep, pretty much...
Cz
Edited by Czero 101, 04 May 2011 - 07:35 PM.