Aircraft over Leeds, U.K., were conducting surveys, not spraying chemicals

Context

In a viral Facebook video (archived here), a speaker claims to have evidence that on September 16, multiple aircraft were spraying chemicals, commonly referred to among conspiracists as "chemtrails," over the British city of Leeds. The video features flight tracking data from Flightradar24, showing two planes flying in parallel, allegedly leaving persistent trails that eventually "filled the sky with crap." The speaker insisted these were not normal contrails because they did not disappear, implying they were part of a coordinated spraying operation.

"Explain that then... these two planes just came from Liverpool all the way to Leeds just to do that," he asserted.

Since its posting on October 14, 2024, the video has amassed over 2.2 million views and 17,000 likes.

However, the speaker's claim is false, and the planes were carrying out routine surveys. Chemtrails are a debunked conspiracy theory.

In fact

Flightradar24's playback tool confirmed that the aircraft in question belonged to Ravenair, a Liverpool-based flying school. While the video creator also used the tool to track the flight patterns, his interpretation was incorrect.

Screenshots of the flights. (Source: Flightradar24/Modified by Logically Facts)

Ravenair told Logically Facts that the planes were not involved in any "spraying" operation but instead performed routine aerial surveys for photography and data collection, governed by U.K. PART SPO (Specialised Operations).

The Flightradar24 data identified two Partenavia P.68B Victors flying in parallel, accompanied by a P.68 Observer slightly behind. These aircraft are specifically designed for aerial surveys, providing clear ground visibility, with the P.68 Observer featuring a plexiglass cockpit for optimal observation. Additionally, they are equipped with camera ports for capturing images or collecting data.

The screenshot shows that one of the planes was a P.68 Observer. (Source: Flightradar24)

"Our aircraft are not fitted with any equipment that allows 'spraying.' Our aircraft are piston-engined and do not create 'vapor' trails. They do not operate at higher altitudes," Ravenair confirmed.

Ravenair's aerial survey missions follow strict protocols, including special permissions from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to fly in restricted areas such as wind farms and busy airspaces. The company serves a wide range of industries, performing tasks such as pipeline inspections, wildlife tracking, and aerodrome lighting assessments. 

According to the U.K. Environment Agency, the sight of two planes flying in parallel is a standard practice in aerial survey work, especially for covering large areas. 

Aerial Survey, a global provider of specialized aerial survey equipment, explains that this formation allows for comprehensive data collection from multiple angles, whether for high-resolution imagery, environmental monitoring, or infrastructure assessments. It is common for these missions to involve numerous airplanes flying coordinated routes to ensure complete coverage of the survey zone.

The persistent trails seen in the video are likely contrails. These form when water vapor from aircraft engines condenses and freezes at high altitudes, leaving visible streaks. Whether contrails linger or quickly dissipate depends on atmospheric conditions like humidity and temperature. A 2016 study published in Environmental Research Letters, which surveyed 77 atmospheric scientists and geochemists, confirmed that contrails are harmless, consisting mainly of water vapor and ice crystals.

Logically Facts has previously debunked several chemtrail-related conspiracies, such as RFK Jr.'s claim to fight chemtrails, the false rumor that former FBI agent Ted Gunderson was assassinated for exposing chemtrails, and claims that contrails cause cancer.

The verdict

The planes flying over Leeds on September 16 were conducting aerial survey operations under U.K. aviation regulations, not spraying chemicals or "chemtrails." The flight patterns were consistent with data collection missions using specialized equipment. The long-lasting trails observed were most likely normal contrails.