How can wake turbulence be reduced?

Avoiding Wake Turbulence On Landing When following a larger aircraft on final approach, the key points the FAA recommends to avoid wake turbulence are: Stay at or above the larger aircraft’s final approach flight path. Note the touchdown point, and land beyond it.

Under what conditions can wake turbulence be expected?

Pilots should be alert for wake turbulence when operating: Approximately 10-30 miles after passing 1,000′ below opposite-direction traffic. Approximately 10-30 miles behind and 1,000′ below same-direction traffic.

What is the purpose of winglets?

Winglets are vertical extensions of wingtips that improve an aircraft’s fuel efficiency and cruising range. Designed as small airfoils, winglets reduce the aerodynamic drag associated with vortices that develop at the wingtips as the airplane moves through the air.

Why do winglets reduce drag?

Winglets makes the passage of air from the bottom of the wing to the lower pressure top of the wing more difficult, thus reducing induced drag. The big manufacturers explored offering winglet retrofit kits to their customers but at the time, it wasn’t economical since fuel was so cheap.

What causes wake turbulence?

Definition. Wake Vortex Turbulence is defined as turbulence which is generated by the passage of an aircraft in flight. It will be generated from the point when the nose landing gear of an aircraft leaves the ground on take off and will cease to be generated when the nose landing gear touches the ground during landing.

What is wake turbulence category?

Wake turbulence categories of aircraft L = Light = maximum take-off mass < 7000 kilograms (15,000 lb) M = Medium = 7000 kilograms < maximum take-off mass < 136,000 kilograms. H = Heavy = maximum take-off mass >136000 kilograms (300,000 lb) J = Super = specific category for Airbus A380 (Jumbo)

What are the conditions that would create the largest wake turbulence?

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.

What is wake turbulence and how does it work?

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.

How do winglets work?

Introduced into production in the early 1990s, winglets are now flying on nearly all jet airliners in service today. The simple explanation of how winglets work is that in addition to air flowing across the top and bottom of a wing inflight, air is also moving over the wing laterally from the root outboard toward the wingtip.

What should a pilot do when flying through wake turbulence?

Pilots should always be aware of the possibility of a wake turbulence encounter when flying through the wake of another aircraft, and adjust the flight path accordingly. The creation of a pressure differential over the wing surface generates lift.

What happens if you fly through the wake of another aircraft?

Wake turbulence can impose rolling moments exceeding the roll-control authority of encountering aircraft, causing possible injury to occupants and damage to aircraft. Pilots should always be aware of the possibility of a wake turbulence encounter when flying through the wake of another aircraft, and adjust the flight path accordingly.