9.2 Weather Hazards

 For this week's blog topic, I will be writing about wake turbulence as one of the most dangerous hazards in aviation. It is extremely dangerous when a small plane is following a large plane and is so close to the ground that an encounter occurs. Every airplane creates wake turbulence while in flight, and this is normal. When an aircraft provides lift, it causes two counter-rotating vortices to form behind the aircraft, which is known as wake turbulence. Because of the power, duration, and direction of the vortices, wake turbulence from the generating aircraft can have an impact on approaching aircraft, depending on the circumstances. Wake turbulence can create rolling moments that are greater than the roll-control capability of the encountering aircraft, providing a danger of injury to passengers as well as damage to the aircraft itself (Wake Turbulence, n.d.). To avoid a wake turbulence path, it is recommended that the pilot of a smaller aircraft take off behind a larger aircraft to wait at least three minutes for the vortices to dissipate. A smaller aircraft that is landing behind a larger aircraft should fly a higher glide path and land beyond their touchdown point to avoid flying through the vortices created by the larger aircraft's landing gear. In the event that a pilot is flying through the wake of another aircraft, he or she should always be aware of the possibility of encountering wake turbulence and adjust their flight route as necessary. Air traffic controllers frequently issue the warning "caution - wake turbulence" to pilots who are taking off or landing behind larger aircraft. This means that positioning the aircraft to avoid a potentially dangerous situation is extremely important (How To Avoid Wake Turbulence, n.d.).

References 

How To Avoid Wake Turbulence. (n.d.). Boldmethod Flight Training. Retrieved September 1, 2021, from https://www.boldmethod.com/learn-to-fly/aerodynamics/how-to-avoid-wake-turbulence/

Wake Turbulence. (n.d.). Faa. Retrieved September 1, 2021, from https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/aim_html/chap7_section_4.html