Diane9247
Humanitarian
Reged: 01/15/07
Posts: 1917
Loc: Californian in Oregon
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I'm flabbergasted. Why is there a grainy, phantom outline of a plane here? Like a giant rubber stamp. Or, as if a plane dropped straight down and left this imprint as it sank into the sand. What could be the cause of this image?
King Khaled Int'l Airport, SA.
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Edited by diane9247 (09/07/07 08:37 PM)
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tventuri
Tourist
Reged: 05/14/07
Posts: 9
Loc: Albuquerque - Rio Rancho, NM
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That is bizarre. My theory… A plane was parked for a long time in this location and it allowed plats to grow.??? We have something similar here in Albuquerque. See this post… [url= http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/showthreaded.php/Number/592597 ]web page[/url]
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Diane9247
Humanitarian
Reged: 01/15/07
Posts: 1917
Loc: Californian in Oregon
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tventuri -
That's a sensible theory. Cyclonic! Yes, we need Cyclonic for this mystery. 
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Cyclonic
Frequent Flyer
Reged: 09/05/05
Posts: 2435
Loc: Connecticut - USA
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It could be a place where they practiced fire training. They set a plane on fire on purpose then have emergency fire crews respond and put out the fire. The stain is the water, rust and anything else that runs off the plane. They usually leave these planes for many fires, putting them out and setting them on fire again. In this spot the plane was removed, leaving the stain behind.
Stains like that are also left behind when planes get washed, but they usually do that on the tar or closer to the airport, not in a random field.
Theres a couple slight stains on the tar here. 24.967134, 46.700513
I would guess its a former fire training area.
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Felippo
Collection Editor
Reged: 07/18/05
Posts: 1764
Loc: Hameln, Germany
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Hello Diane 
A very nice find you made. My guess, it's an artwork/geoglyph made of small bushes or other vegetation. I don't think it was a fire practice area because there is no round flooring to protect the groundwater and the ground.
Greetings Felippo
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Diane9247
Humanitarian
Reged: 01/15/07
Posts: 1917
Loc: Californian in Oregon
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Dear Felippo -
You MUST know I would find your idea charming, given my signature. It's not very scientific, like your colleagues' theories, but certainly very entertaining when I picture thirsty, sweltering-hot artists on the ground constructing their "environmental art installation." Now, another key question to flesh out the story - were they Bedouins or ex-pats? 
I also wonder:
It's such a perfect silhouette made of plants or debris. (I don't know what the engine-holding, bullet-shaped things are called - don't laugh, Cyc! - anyway, you can even see those.) Would it look like that if it was used for fires or other sensible purposes, which surely must be messy and chaotic? Hmm...well...maybe.
Oh, I'm so torn!
Sincerely,
Diane
P.S. Thanks everyone for your replies!
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Edited by diane9247 (09/11/07 07:19 PM)
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satcom15
Tourist
Reged: 06/16/07
Posts: 169
Loc: Colorado, USA
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An interesting find!
I think the parked plane/bush theory has the most plausibility. First, the outline appears to be about the same size as a 747SP. Look over at the auxillary terminal to the NW. There's what appears to be a 747SP parked there (its the smaller of the 747s). Second, look at the shubbery near the hardstand. It appears to have the same color and texture as that outlining the aircraft. The aircraft may have provided shade that let the plant life flourish.
Still, there are a few small curious details. How did the aircraft get there and where did it go? If that is soft sandy soil it would have been very hard to pull it there and then pull it away given the aircraft weight - even empty. There's an expection of settling too if it was on sandy soil, making removal that much harder. Whouldn't it have been better to park it on the hardstand near by? Also, why does the hardstand have those big dark spots? What caused them? Where is the taxiway that would allow movement of the aircraft? The hardstand has an accessway, but following it, it seems to be a road and not a taxiway and in fact there are vehicles visible on it. Note the fence crossing the accessway and along the road. On the otherhand, looking around it looks like there are remains of old runways/taxiways in the area. Look at the two lane road to the NE. That hints at being an old runway. Also note the orientation parallels that of the current runway, but then other roads in the area do to. The road might have been a taxiway at some time as could other roads around there. Look at the road intersections and how they have crurves that are similar to those seen at taxiway intersections. Could this location have been part of an old airport? Perhaps the aircraft mentioned above are parked at an old terminal? Curiousor and curiousor.
Lots of questions - but no answers.
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Diane9247
Humanitarian
Reged: 01/15/07
Posts: 1917
Loc: Californian in Oregon
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Wow, Satcom, you bring up some intriguing features and questions. You really hit on a major problem with the "parked plane" or "fire training" ideas: no sign of the plane having been dragged out of there. Even if it was a long time ago, the vegetation would not have been scraped off and then grown back so perfectly. That sandy environment is probably very fragile, as other deserts are, so most likely the scrape-marks or towing trail would still show. Even if covered by blowing sand, trails would still stand out against the vegetation.
I was also trying to compare the real planes with the outline, but couldn't decide if they were the same. I'm glad you confirmed they are.
So...unless they used a mega-crane to lift that plane up and out of there, I'm still going with Felippo on this. Mostly because I like the idea - but also because I think the outline is too perfect to be anything but intentional. I'm not saying I can really imagine a bunch of logical military or airline guys building this landscape for fun. I just think if that phantom plane had either served some purpose or been there for a long time, the outline would be less symetrical and tidy than it is. Maybe. 
We can only hope someone down there reads this thread and sets us straight! (By the way, where'd I put King Khaled's e-mail address... )
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rainbowrichardg
Tourist
Reged: 11/15/06
Posts: 116
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How in the name of Satan and all his little wizards did you find that?
I can't offer any solution as to what is going on ( a phone call to the airport might prove useful ) but I am impressed. 
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Cyclonic
Frequent Flyer
Reged: 09/05/05
Posts: 2435
Loc: Connecticut - USA
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They may be bushes but i doubt they were purposely planted. Why do all that work in a spot no one can see? (except in ge) Why not fill in the whole plane, why make the engines crooked and the tail a mess? etc.
I still think it was a spot where they fire trained, and the water that ran off the plane made plants grow after the plane was removed. The soil around the removed plane would have more water than the rest of the area, and once the plane was removed the sunlight would help them grow. However those black spots are also on the tar and concrete nearby, so im not fully convinced.
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satcom15
Tourist
Reged: 06/16/07
Posts: 169
Loc: Colorado, USA
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Quote:
They may be bushes but i doubt they were purposely planted. Why do all that work in a spot no one can see? (except in ge) Why not fill in the whole plane, why make the engines crooked and the tail a mess? etc.
I still think it was a spot where they fire trained, and the water that ran off the plane made plants grow after the plane was removed. The soil around the removed plane would have more water than the rest of the area, and once the plane was removed the sunlight would help them grow. However those black spots are also on the tar and concrete nearby, so im not fully convinced.
Good catch Cyclonic. If earlier conjectures on a temporarily parked plane provided shade which allowed denser plant growth is correct, why wouldn't the whole area have higher plant density instead of just the outline? The black spots have me puzzled too. Could they have been petrochemical in nature (i.e. fuel or oil) or burn/smoke marks? Strange.
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"So we arrived and were able to plant our flag at the geographical South Pole" R. Amundsen 1911
"The Pole. Yes, but under very different circumstances than expected" R. F. Scott 1912
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Diane9247
Humanitarian
Reged: 01/15/07
Posts: 1917
Loc: Californian in Oregon
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Quote:
How in the name of Satan and all his little wizards did you find that?
Rainbowrichard, I like your style - colorful. I found it like I do most odd things in life - while I'm looking for something else. I've been trying to locate a dirtbike track I found, which disappeared from a folder after a computer crash last week. All I remember is that it's near an airbase in S.A.. Still looking, but I've been mightily distracted by this find. Never in my GE use so far have I had to sit and stare so long before I could process what I was seeing! 
Diane
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Edited by diane9247 (09/08/07 04:57 PM)
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Diane9247
Humanitarian
Reged: 01/15/07
Posts: 1917
Loc: Californian in Oregon
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I have just e-mailed King Khaled Airport "Feedback" with an inquiry about the phantom airplane. Included some images, so hope someone takes the time to send a go-fer to take a look. I tried to be as charming as possible. 
UPDATE: Charm went to waste. Rec'd a "Mailer Daemon" for that address. Bummer! 
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Women for Women International - For the special needs of women surviving war.
Kiva - Small loans changing lives around the world.
Bukavu Foundation - For the Panzi Women's Shelter & other programs in Eastern Congo.
Room to Read - Change begins with educated children.
Edited by diane9247 (09/09/07 05:17 PM)
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GSightseeing
Tourist
Reged: 05/01/07
Posts: 5
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Well I don't know if it will help, this seems a nice mystery - but I've just posted this great find to Google Sightseeing. Maybe our readers will come up with more ideas to help get to the bottom of this one!
Mystery Plane Outline at googlesightseeing.com
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Forkboy2
Cartographer
Reged: 07/16/05
Posts: 445
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Ok....so this is a stretch.....but I'll throw it out there anyway.
I lived in Saudi Arabia about 25 years ago and had to fly to Riyadh every month for 2 years on a small Beechcraft to go to the orthodontist. I remember very clearly seeing a burnt up airplane near the approach path right near the airport. I think it was a 707, which sort of matches the outline. I can't remember if the aircraft was from an actual crash or just used for fire training. The pilots told me it was a crash, but I think they were just teasing me since I was just a kid at the time.
I would fly in from Dhahran, which would put us right over this location if they were doing a short final approach and landed 1/2 way down the runway (they were military pilots so wouldn't surprise me).
If it goes back that far, they may have just dismantled the aircraft and thrown it in the back of a dump truck, in which case there wouldn't be any tracks anymore.
Anyway, just a guess.
Matt
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Matt
Google Earth Library
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Diane9247
Humanitarian
Reged: 01/15/07
Posts: 1917
Loc: Californian in Oregon
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Forkboy - OK, we're getting closer. Finally, we're hearing from someone who's actually flown over the place in question! Thanks, your theory agrees with Cyclonic's.
GSightseeing - thanks for posting this on your website! I do hope we can get to the bottom of this.
I might try writing to the airport. The E-mail addr. didn't work, OR is being blocked. I admit to being a little squeemish about directly contacting any entity in the middle east. I don't want to be "monitored." 
Diane
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Women for Women International - For the special needs of women surviving war.
Kiva - Small loans changing lives around the world.
Bukavu Foundation - For the Panzi Women's Shelter & other programs in Eastern Congo.
Room to Read - Change begins with educated children.
Edited by diane9247 (09/11/07 01:46 AM)
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Diane9247
Humanitarian
Reged: 01/15/07
Posts: 1917
Loc: Californian in Oregon
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AHA! We might have an answer! It's too long to quote, so go to GoogleSightseeing, scroll down to comment #20 from Pat. What does everyone think of his theory? I admit to bias. I'm in the "put there intentionally" or "art" camp, like Felippo.
dp
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Women for Women International - For the special needs of women surviving war.
Kiva - Small loans changing lives around the world.
Bukavu Foundation - For the Panzi Women's Shelter & other programs in Eastern Congo.
Room to Read - Change begins with educated children.
Edited by diane9247 (09/11/07 09:49 PM)
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Forkboy2
Cartographer
Reged: 07/16/05
Posts: 445
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I think it's either A) An art project or B) Many many years ago they had an aircraft shell there for fire training and what your seeing is the last bit of oil residue.
If it was an art project, then why is it darker within the outline?? How did they get the dimensions so accurate (within a few feet, although it's a bit lopsided). Why build it so far away from the concrete apron?
If it was an aircraft shell for fire training, wouldn't they have first removed the engines?? Is it just a strange coincidence that it's right next to the fire training pad? Where is the burned out aircraft I remember seeing as a child?
I don't think there's any way to convince me one way or the other without some direct information. Another one of lifes great mysteries....although not exactly up there with "What's the meaning of life?"
Matt
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Matt
Google Earth Library
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Diane9247
Humanitarian
Reged: 01/15/07
Posts: 1917
Loc: Californian in Oregon
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Quote:
I don't think there's any way to convince me one way or the other without some direct information.
I absolutely agree! An update: got a PM from Delta102 - the resident Mister Airplane at GE. He's going to try to find out from some friends. Last might I e-mailed someone I lost contact with awhile back & sort of forgot about - a pilot for (get this, kids) Emirates Airlines!
So, Forkboy, help is on the way..........
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Women for Women International - For the special needs of women surviving war.
Kiva - Small loans changing lives around the world.
Bukavu Foundation - For the Panzi Women's Shelter & other programs in Eastern Congo.
Room to Read - Change begins with educated children.
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Felippo
Collection Editor
Reged: 07/18/05
Posts: 1764
Loc: Hameln, Germany
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Quote:
Dear Felippo -
You MUST know I would find your idea charming, given my signature. It's not very scientific, like your colleagues' theories, but certainly very entertaining when I picture thirsty, sweltering-hot artists on the ground constructing their "environmental art installation." Now, another key question to flesh out the story - were they Bedouins or ex-pats?
Dear Diane
Please take a closer look at the airport and the road to Ar Riyad. I see tenthousands of bushes and little trees. I don't know if they were sweating while creating this or if it was made bedouins, but it gives me a good idea about how much gardeners they must have there.
Quote:
AHA! We might have an answer! It's too long to quote, so go to GoogleSightseeing, scroll down to comment #20 from Pat. What does everyone think of his theory?
He said:"So the plane is made up of rocks and other non-sand debris, and not vegetation. "
After taking a closer look at the GE imagery and seeing some photos of this area I'm sure (100%) that the plane outline is made of vegetation.
I'm in good hope that Delta102 can find out something about this geoglyph.
Greetings Felippo 
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Delta102
Master Guide
Reged: 07/07/05
Posts: 4985
Loc: U.S.A.
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Well I've heard from a friend And he say's .....
Joe
This is a silhouette of a 747 made out of tyres in the fire training area of International airport.
Best Regards
Gavin Maxwell
General Manager - International
Rivoli Group LLC
PO Box 121, Dubai, UAE
So it looks like Pat over at Google Sightseeing had the right idea..I've been in and out of there but don't remember that area and had to ask a friend 
Delta
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Forkboy2
Cartographer
Reged: 07/16/05
Posts: 445
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Quote:
Well I've heard from a friend And he say's .....
Joe
This is a silhouette of a 747 made out of tyres in the fire training area of International airport.
Best Regards
Gavin Maxwell
General Manager - International
Rivoli Group LLC
PO Box 121, Dubai, UAE
So it looks like Pat over at Google Sightseeing had the right idea..I've been in and out of there but don't remember that area and had to ask a friend
Delta
Well....no one thought of tires That makes sense though.
So the next question is....who has more free time on their hands with nothing productive to be doing? Us or the guys that made the silhouette??
Matt
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Google Earth Library
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Diane9247
Humanitarian
Reged: 01/15/07
Posts: 1917
Loc: Californian in Oregon
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Forkboy - haha, I do often wonder to myself, "why not get a life instead of spending all this time finding dumb stuff?"
WELL, I feel so vindicated! That rarely happens. Thanks, Delta, for asking a friend - who is of course a Brit or Australian ("tyres"). I really appreciate the help, especially from GE's Mr. Airplane. I never did hear from my pilot-acquaintence. I guess he's not speaking to me.
As for this being made out of tires&tyres: Go figure! I'll bet they take the tires off before setting the plane on fire on the concrete pad. I can imagine some guys being bored and getting this goof-ball idea to make a plane instead of tossing them into a pile. New wisdom: don't turn bored guys loose with a pile of tires!!!
Ta-tahhh,
Diane
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Women for Women International - For the special needs of women surviving war.
Kiva - Small loans changing lives around the world.
Bukavu Foundation - For the Panzi Women's Shelter & other programs in Eastern Congo.
Room to Read - Change begins with educated children.
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Felippo
Collection Editor
Reged: 07/18/05
Posts: 1764
Loc: Hameln, Germany
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Quote:
Well I've heard from a friend And he say's .....
Joe
This is a silhouette of a 747 made out of tyres in the fire training area of International airport.
Thank you Delta102. This answer really surprised me. Honestly I must say that I'm not very happy with this tire-fire-training-747-geoglyph solution, but I accept it.
I found a photo of the 747 geoglyph here. The camera perspective is a little bit inappropriate, but I swear it is the aircraft silhouette.
Hope we can see a photo of the plane outline soon.
Greetings Felippo
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Felippo
Collection Editor
Reged: 07/18/05
Posts: 1764
Loc: Hameln, Germany
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Hello again
More than half a year is gone and this mystery is still unsolved, to me. I respect Delta102, he's always on the ball, but every time I get informations from a third person (deltas friend), I'm not shure.
I really would like to see a photo of the silhouette, and thats the reason why I bump this topic.
Please, is there anybody out there with a photo or a newspaper article about this plane shilouette?
Felippo
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Felippo
Collection Editor
Reged: 07/18/05
Posts: 1764
Loc: Hameln, Germany
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Hello Diane
It's a pity that after more than one year no one could find a photo of this plane shilouette. I still believe that this is made of small bushes and little trees planted by busy beduin-gardeners.
In my placemark there is another shilouette of an aircraft at the Marj Ruhayyil Airport in Syria. There is some resemblance to your find, but it's not the same. This one is framed with a circle.
Best Regards, Felippo
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Felippo
Collection Editor
Reged: 07/18/05
Posts: 1764
Loc: Hameln, Germany
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Re: Weirdest thing I've found yet! @ airport in S. A.
[Re: Diane9247]
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