Let me say at the outset that general aviation pilots do not have to worry about wake turbulence because wake turbulence will only be dangerous on takeoff, departure, climb-out, enroute, descent, approach and landing.
Wake Turbulence
Let me say at the outset that general aviation pilots do not have to worry about wake turbulence because wake turbulence will only be dangerous on takeoff, departure, climb-out, enroute, descent, approach and landing.See, no problem.Oh, uh…wait-that pretty much covers the entire flight, doesnt it? Maybe we should worry about wake turbulence.
Key Takeaways:
- Wake turbulence is a serious, flight-long hazard caused by wing-tip vortices generated by an aircraft's lift and induced drag, responsible for fatal accidents.
- The strongest vortices are produced by heavy, slow aircraft (even more so with clean wings at a given speed) and persist for miles, especially in stable air with light crosswinds.
- Pilots are particularly vulnerable during approach, where visual profiles or ATC instructions can inadvertently place them directly in the wake of preceding larger aircraft.
- Protection involves understanding conditions, maintaining significant distance (5-8+ miles), offsetting position (above and upwind), and being prepared to go around or handle upsets smoothly.
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