Plane Flying backwards

[Maypole]

Did anyone else happen to see a plane flying backwards over Lincolnshire on Sunday evening?

Or can shed any light as to what it might have been?

It had a wide wingspan like a glider but was powered by a propellor which was at the front except the whole thing was moving backwards which would of course mean the propellor was at the back as I saw it..........

[Clanad]

Perhaps something like this? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Pik20E_NASA .jpg

There a re a number of rear or aft engined aircraft of various sizes and configurations...

[chas2008]

its against the laws of physics to fly backwards, there are some planes out there with engines at the rear and small wings at the front which would give the impression of flying backwards
similiar to-
http://www.airvan.nl/phfut_en.html

[wildwood]

This is amazing! You may have seen one of the Wright's brothers flying over.

http://wright.nasa.gov/airplane/elv.html

As you can see, this is nothing new. As speed increasing it becomes virtually impossible to keep the machine on a steady level with the elevators in front. A bit like those early rubbish trucks having the steering at the back wheels - very effective but difficult to control at speed.

[dundurn]

Also try www.ez.org - Burt Rutan has designed a whole range of these aircraft.

[Teddio]

Suppose a small aeroplane can cruise at an airspeed of 70mph and it is flying into a headwind of 100mph. To an observer on the ground the aeroplane will appear to be flying at 30mph backwards.

[captken]

it could be a canard flying forward, they have these allmost at every light aircraft airprt http://www.google.com...4507&biw=1366&bih=611

[captken]

perhaps it was a canard flying forward http://www.google.com...vztTs-iDqKciAe4n_CTDg