[TXnMA]

"The skies are LAX are full of aircraft. Why was there only this one contrail when there should have been dozens?"

It is exactly this sort of mindless statement that makes missile-hopers sound so ignorant. Local ALTOD traffic is at low altitudes. Persistent contrails only occur at high altitudes where the condensed moisture can freeze into ice crystals (hence the persistence)... (Notice that AWE808 was bound to Phoenix [hence did not descend into the ALTOD low-altitude domain].)

Also notice the local A/C in the video. No contrail. Too low. DUH!!!

You folks need to go back and study jr. high physics and optics...

[eyedigress]

Ok junior high dude. Given an altitude of 35k and a view starting at 3k tell me just how many miles long that perfect contrail is. These numbers should be close enough for a ball park answer.

[eyedigress]

and be sure to know ground level horizon as a starting point.