| Wake turbulence is one of the most common flight | | | | paths. |
| disturbances. Most pilots experience it on a regular | | | | Uncommanded aircraft movements are the greatest |
| basis. In short, wake turbulence is the result of wake | | | | indicators that an airplane is experiencing wake |
| vortices that are created whenever an airfoil | | | | turbulence. Because the onset of wake turbulence is |
| produces lift. Lift results from a pressure differential | | | | often surprisingly subtle, there have been many fatal |
| at the wing surfaces, with the lowest pressure | | | | instances where pilots attempted a landing during mild |
| occurring above the wings and the highest pressure | | | | turbulence only to experience severe turbulence as |
| occurring beneath them. The pressure differential | | | | they neared the runway. When a pilot suspects that |
| then causes a rollup of the airflow behind the wings, | | | | wake is affecting his or her aircraft upon landing, the |
| which results in a swirling air mass that occurs | | | | safest move is to execute a go-around or a missed |
| downstream of the wingtips. The air mass rotates | | | | approach in order to prepare for stronger wake |
| counterclockwise at the right wing and clockwise at | | | | turbulence on the re-approach. |
| the left wing. | | | | With that said, there are ways to insure that wake |
| Slow flying, heavy aircraft produce the strongest | | | | turbulence is avoided in the first place. Starting with |
| wake, but short wing aircraft, due to their short | | | | takeoff, departing a few minutes later than your |
| wings, are the most prone to experiencing a variety | | | | scheduled departure time if another aircraft |
| of wake turbulence situations, the most dangerous | | | | immediately preceded you is a smart idea, especially |
| of which is an induced roll and yaw. Because the pilot | | | | on a windy day. Then, once you depart, avoid |
| has little altitude for recovery, induced roll and yaw is | | | | crossing behind and below the preceding plane. |
| particularly dangerous during take off and landing. | | | | Instead, try to climb above the plane's flight path or |
| During takeoff and landing, vortices push toward the | | | | deviate slightly upwind from its path. If you have no |
| ground and move away from the runway when the | | | | choice but to cross behind and below its path, |
| wind is low. But moderate to high wind keeps upwind | | | | attempt the pass at 1000 feet or more below its |
| the vortex in vicinity of the runway, which can cause | | | | flight path. When landing, make sure that your |
| the down wind vortex to push an aircraft into | | | | touchdown point is well ahead of a preceding |
| neighboring runway paths. When an aircraft reaches | | | | aircraft's touchdown point, and always land well |
| altitude, vortices stabilize at between 500 and 900 | | | | before an outgoing aircraft reaches its rotation point. |
| feet beneath its flight level. Until then, however, pilots | | | | If you're landing behind another aircraft on a crossing |
| must make certain to avoid drifting into other flight | | | | approach, be sure to cross above its flight path. |