Under what conditions can wake turbulence be expected?

These distances apply when one aircraft is operating directly behind (within 1/2 NM laterally) another, or is crossing behind, at the same level and up to 1000 feet below. In this same situation when the separation will be less than 2 minutes, radar controllers should issue a caution of possible wake turbulence.



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AVOID THE AREA BELOW AND BEHIND THE WAKE GENERATING AIRCRAFT, ESPECIALLY AT LOW ALTITUDE WHERE EVEN A MOMENTARY WAKE ENCOUNTER COULD BE CATASTROPHIC. A common scenario for a wake encounter is in terminal airspace after accepting clearance for a visual approach behind landing traffic.

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Wake turbulence is a function of an aircraft producing lift, resulting in the formation of two counter-rotating vortices trailing behind the aircraft. Wake turbulence from the generating aircraft can affect encountering aircraft due to the strength, duration, and direction of the vortices.

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Since the turbulence from a “dirty” aircraft configuration hastens wake decay, the greatest vortex strength occurs when the generating aircraft is HEAVY, CLEAN, and SLOW. In rare instances, a wake encounter could cause catastrophic inflight structural damage to an aircraft.

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AVOID THE AREA BELOW AND BEHIND THE WAKE GENERATING AIRCRAFT, ESPECIALLY AT LOW ALTITUDE WHERE EVEN A MOMENTARY WAKE ENCOUNTER COULD BE CATASTROPHIC. A common scenario for a wake encounter is in terminal airspace after accepting clearance for a visual approach behind landing traffic.

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Pilot Action to Mitigate Wake Turbulence Encounters: Approximately 10-30 miles after passing 1,000' below opposite-direction traffic. Approximately 10-30 miles behind and 1,000' below same-direction traffic.

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However, the vortex strength from an aircraft increases proportionately to an increase in operating weight or a decrease in aircraft speed. Since the turbulence from a “dirty” aircraft configuration hastens wake decay, the greatest vortex strength occurs when the generating aircraft is HEAVY, CLEAN, and SLOW.

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On Monday 3 March 1997 at 1014 hours, privately owned and operated Cessna 185 encountered wake turbulence from previous departing aircraft, the pilot lost control of the aircraft at a height from which recovery was not possible and the aircraft descended to the ground.

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Rough air happens everywhere, from ground level to far above cruising altitude. But the most common turbulence experienced by flyers has three common causes: mountains, jet streams, and storms.

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Wake turbulence categories
  • Light (L) — aircraft types of 7,000 kg or less.
  • Medium (M) — aircraft types more than 7,000 kg but less than 136,000 kg; and.
  • Heavy (H) — all aircraft types of 136 000 kg or more, with the exception of aircraft types in Super (J) category; and.


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Pilots review en-route conditions before departure, which include turbulence charts. This, alongside checking with center controllers about ride conditions while in the air, helps inform pilots about the flight conditions. Unlike other forms of turbulence, wake turbulence is predictable.

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The heavier the aircraft is and the slower it is moving, the stronger the vortices. That means that heavy aircraft such as a the Boeing 747 — and of course the Airbus A380, which is even bigger and heavier — are most prone to generating this kind of effect.

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A light quartering tailwind requires maximum caution, as it presents a worst case scenario where a wake vortex could more likely be present along the final approach and TDZ. Pilots should be alert to larger aircraft upwind from their approach and takeoff flightpaths.

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Wake turbulence from a large enough aircraft will cause the one following to flip and possibly crash into the ground.

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If severe turbulence is encountered, simultaneously reduce power and adjust pitch until aircraft approaches maneuvering speed, then adjust power and trim to maintain maneuvering speed and fly away from the turbulent area.

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Turbulence is a sudden and sometimes violent shift in airflow. Those irregular motions in the atmosphere create air currents that can cause passengers on an airplane to experience annoying bumps during a flight, or it can be severe enough to throw an airplane out of control. (The pilots) aren't scared at all.

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While pilots can't actually see turbulence, they often know what is coming up, thanks to reports from other planes, weather reports, and radar equipment. However, clear air turbulence (severe turbulence occurring in cloudless areas) can sometimes catch pilots off guard.

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11 injured after Delta Air Lines flight hits severe turbulence arriving in Atlanta. Eleven people were hospitalized after a Delta Air Lines flight hit severe turbulence on approach to Atlanta on Tuesday. A Delta spokesperson told USA TODAY that flight 175 was en route to Atlanta from Milan when it encountered the bumps ...

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The best seat on the plane to avoid turbulence is either over the wings or towards the front of the aircraft. The wings of the plane keep it balanced and smooth, whereas the tail of the aircraft can bounce up and down more.

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