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Learning to Fly Amid Wake Turbulence

Although you may not be able to see them, wing tip vortices can definitely turn you into a junior stunt pilot.

Tuesday, December 03, 2024 at 01:57 PM ET

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Aircraft generate wake just like boats do in the water. Unlike the water, you can't see wake in the air but should always anticipate it. [Credit: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

Wake turbulence is generated by any aircraft in flight, not just during takeoff and landing, and consists of invisible wingtip vortices that sink and can linger.
Pilots must be constantly vigilant for wake turbulence and understand its characteristics to anticipate its presence, especially around larger aircraft.
Specific avoidance strategies include accepting ATC delays, adjusting takeoff and landing points relative to the preceding aircraft, and considering wind direction to predict vortex movement.
If wake turbulence is encountered or cannot be safely avoided during an approach or landing, executing a go-around is the recommended safety procedure.

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“Caution, wake turbulence.”

This warning came from ATC as we were flying westbound in our mighty Cessna 172T. Ahead and east of us was a Boeing C-17 on approach to the local air base. I instructed the flight student to tighten his seat belt and slow the aircraft to maneuvering speed as a precaution, then request a 360-degree to avoid the wake. This was approved as requested. We did a standard rate turn.

Meg Godlewski

Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.