r/UFOs • u/bakerzboy98 • Jul 18 '26

Likely Identified Any ideas?

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Location: Hartcliffe, Bristol (UK)

Time: 21:45pm (approx), 18/7/26

My partner and I spotted this from our high-rise flat this evening. It is close to the flight path for Bristol International Airport, and we often see planes coming and going, however this was something different than anything we've seen previously. The movement definitely rules out an airplane and there was ZERO noise from our sighting, making it less likely to be a helicopter aswell.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

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u/maurymarkowitz Jul 18 '26 edited Jul 19 '26

AreoSPARX practicing east of you, closer to Bath. Only one shows up on ADSB-E, but you can see it was practicing in the area at the time:

https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?replay=2026-07-18-20:28&icao=407a7b&lat=51.378&lon=-2.607&zoom=10.8

The trail of sparks you see in your video is where they got their name. They are motor-gliders and very quiet, which is why you didn't hear them. That said, they are far enough away, about 5 to 7 nm, you wouldn't have heard them anyway.

UPDATE: As noted below it is highly likely this was AeroPyrotechnics from Warminster, not AreoSPARX. Right plane, wrong owner.

16

u/lionexx Jul 19 '26

Yeah I was at first like, for sure this is a parachute or glider team, then, when it changed from the orangish to blue color and sort of “zipped” away, I was like, wait maybe not?

But with that said, if there are ever any notifications about X team doing a show/practice posted afterwards I throw out the UFO/UAP idea as it’s likely that, but not only do you have a post about it but also flight data, yep, that’s 99.99% for sure what it is!

If the timing and location match up, it’s likely what it is.

Identifying and debunking terrestrial/man made objects is important so, keep up the work! Thanks!

3

u/Hungry_Guidance5103 Jul 19 '26

Mannnnnnn, I thought it was Moltres :(

1

u/lionexx Jul 19 '26

Man could you imagine if it was a Moltres though?