Woody. Picture of a trail or plane low in the sky with that app. Tell us how far away you think it is and how you reached that conclusion.
Woody, you say that you actually have been able to identify some planes.
You don't seem to have applied logic or don't understand how to begin providing proof for what you claim. I don't know what your problem is, bu in case you need someone to hold your hand and explain how to do an experiment, here is a suggestion:
So, here is how you can prove your claim that a contrail isn't visible for more than 30-40 miles away.
Do this also with a plane which you have definitely identified using Flightaware, leaving any sort of contrail, persistent or not.
Document the whole event:
Take a photo of the plane showing
date/time
lat/long
elevation
make a screen capture of Flightaware
record the Flight number
Then, start showing us some further out from overhead, go further, then further, ever further, closer to the horizon, always identifying the plane down towards the horizon.
Eventually, you will see and document your claim that a plane's contrail close to the horizon is no more than 30-40 miles away.
Of, you will find that you were wrong, and then you will have proven yourself worthy of being correct.
Or, keep doing what you have been doing.
Unless you are going to take ALL the above steps, don't bother showing us ANYTHING else.
Come on, make my day!