The Report.

I live under the westerly heading landing approach to Vancouver
airport. The aircraft are low enough to be interesting but high enough to
not be a bother. Also my office is adjacent to the airport. This contrail
was made by a very fast and very high-flying aircraft. Usually I can make
out the aircraft even if at cruise altitude, 30k+, but not this time. It
went horizon to horizon in about 30 seconds. Now I haven't tried to
calculate the speed but it was so impressive that it drew my
attention. The "donuts" in the contrail made me jump into my briefcase for
my camera. I really have no evidence of anything other than an unusual
vapour trail.

Standing outside with my watch, 30 seconds seems perhaps too short a time
but the craft passed horizon to horizon certainly in no more than 60
seconds. Northwest to southeast at great altitude. No sound, no visible
craft. The sky has daily contrails but as I said before it was the speed
that drew my attention to this particular set.

A few weeks back some other contrails were also very interesting. There
were multiple trails around and around each other as if there had been a
very high altitude dogfight between many aircraft. A real "hairball" I
think is the term. Very reminiscent of the photos of the "Battle of
Britain" dogfights. In Canada our airforce doesn't have the budget to do
much of this and any time NORAD has an exercise on it is usually announced.
Not this time. Interesting.

The Photo

Enlarged and adjusted image