Section 8: Wake Turbulance

caused by the passage of an aircraft through the atmosphere

examples: thrust stream TB, jet blast, jet wash, propeller was

by product of lift and are the most predominant parts of an aircrafts invisible wake

governed by...
- weight of aircraft generating lift
- shape of the wing
- speed of the generating aircraft

greatest factor that affects the intensity of wake TB

- aircraft has higher angle of attack
- more lift being generated
- aircraft configuration to decrease the aircrafts stall speed
- slower an aircrafts speed the greater the chance for wake to take form
- at increased speeds the air flow over the wing tips is spread out and does not have much of an opportunity to take shape

Some of the most intense wingtip vortices have been recorded spinning at 174kts

clockwise off the left wing and counterclockwise off the right. both vortices will drift downward and outward

from large aircrat sink rate at 300-500 fpm and normally level off 500 to 1,000ft below the flight path of the generating aircraft. Vortices slowly move outward from their track and slow in descent and diminish in strength with time and with distance.

- when close to the ground with calm wind, vortices from large aircraft will move laterally at a speed of 2-3kts within 100 to 200ft
- vortices in GE move outward away from the body of the aircraft bc lift forms first at the root of the wings and then develops towards the wingtip
- associated vortices created as a result of this lift also move in the same manner and continue moving outward after spilling over the tips of the wings

- up to 5kts will decrease or even stall the lateral movement of one vortex
- increase the lateral movement of the other vortex

the mechanical force wingtip vortices have on encountering aircraft

ability of a trailing aircraft to counteract the effects a vortex encounters based on two things
- wingspan of the aircraft
- counter control capability of the aircraft