Yesterday afternoon, at 6:47 pm, the SAS (Scandinavian Airlines System) plane, coming from Copenhagen and heading to Madeira, when landing at Madeira International Airport – Cristiano Ronaldo presented an unusual effect on the wings, called aerodynamic condensation [‘wing condensation’].
In the video captured by Madeira Aviation Spotting, the aircraft, an A320Neo, can be seen approaching the runway, with water vapor forming on its wings, giving the impression of smoke. In a social media post, Swiss International Air Lines explains that this phenomenon occurs when there is less pressure on the upper part of the wing, due to the aircraft’s tilt during landings and takeoffs—a tilt known as the angle of attack.
Due to the decrease in pressure, the temperature also drops, condensing the air with moisture, thus transforming it into the smoke we see in the video.
Watch the Madeira Aviation Spotting video.