Yes. I’m pointing to this link which suggests a specific flight.
http://blog.bahneman.com/content/it-was-us-airways-flight-808
Planes coming toward the viewer look as if they are flying straight up. Widening contrails appear as if they are closer than the plane, when in fact they are further away. This is not the first case of an apparent missile launch which is in fact an ordinary jet airliner and its contrail.
Also see Flight Aware for the U.S. Air 808 flight:
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/AWE808/history/20101108/1955Z/PHNL/KPHX
The “expert” you are quoting is a bird photographer.