Wake turbulence

Wake Turbulence During Takeoff and Landing
While there have been instances where wake turbulence caused structural damage, the greatest hazard is induced roll and yaw.

Wake Turbulence
As air will always flow from a high pressure area to an area of lower pressure it will move outwards under the wing from the root toward the wingtips where it will curl upwards, ...

Wake turbulence from a preceding aircraft
This situation more often presents itself at busier tower controlled airports.

WAKE TURBULENCE Turbulent air condition caused by small, tornado-like horizontal whirlwinds trailing an aircraft's wingtips (wingtip vortices).

Wake turbulence: Wingtip vortices generated behind a wing producing lift. Behind a large heavy aircraft they can be powerful enough to roll or even break up a smaller aircraft.

[edit] Wake turbulence and separation
This picture from a NASA study on wingtip vortices qualitatively illustrates the wake turbulence.
Main article: Wake Turbulence ...

WAKE TURBULENCE- Phenomena resulting from the passage of an aircraft through the atmosphere. The term includes vortices, thrust stream turbulence, jet blast, jet wash, propeller wash, and rotor wash both on the ground and in the air.

Wake turbulence
The disturbed air behind a large aircraft
Wind velocity ...

* Avoiding Wake Turbulence Problems
If you are flying a light aircraft, avoid the airspace below and behind a large aircraft.

During my in-flight emergency programs I usually ask if anyone has ever had their airplane thrown inverted by some phenomenon other than wake turbulence.

The extra spacing is required as these aircraft generate significant wake turbulence which can disrupt the flight path of any aircraft behind them.

Heavy - suffix used in RT call-signs to indicate that the aircraft is a large transport, alerting controllers and following aircraft to the possibility of wake turbulence (which see).

Other Airspace Areas (Part Two)
Other Airspace Areas (Part One)
Special Use Airspace (Part Two)
Special Use Airspace (Part One)
Airspace Classifications
Airport Collision Avoidance
Wake Turbulence
Airport Radio Communications ...

See also: Aircraft, Wake, Speed, Pilot, Flight