Why doesn't a plane disturb a cloud when passing through it?

[wolram]

Why is it that an aeroplane can travel through a small cloud and the cloud does not seem to have been disturbed.

 

[russ_watters]

Why would the cloud be disturbed? Airplanes are designed to be aerodynamic: aerodynamic means not disturbing the air.

It's like a skilled diver diving into a pool but making very little splash.

 

[wolram]

Why would the cloud be disturbed? Airplanes are designed to be aerodynamic: aerodynamic means not disturbing the air.

It's like a skilled diver diving into a pool but making very little splash.

There is still the thrust from jet engines.

 

[James Leighe]

Well, they are disturbed a little.

 

[Cleonis]

Why is it that an aeroplane can travel through a small cloud and the cloud does not seem to have been disturbed.

I think the cloud only seems undisturbed.

A jet airliner produces vortices from its wingtips. Those vortices take a long time to dissipate. When two airliners are flying in the same corridor (which is generally avoided but inevitable when approaching a landing strip), then the separation must be at least two minutes. Too short a time interval and the still violent turbulence may crash the trailing aeroplane. Wherever a jet airliner flies, it will leave heavy disturbance.

But if inside a cloud a portion of the air mass is turbulent, would you spot that from the ground? I don't see how. You cannot see inside a cloud; it's a cloud when you cannot see through it.

Cleonis

 

[rcgldr]

Scroll down about 1/3rd into this web page to see the effect:

http://home.comcast.net/~clipper-108/lift.htm