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Your aircraft could encounter wake turbulence in which of the following situations?

  • A

    When climbing in light wind conditions, upwind of another aeroplane which has executed a low missed approach.

  • B

    Landing on a crossing runway after another aircraft rotated prior to the intersection.

  • C

    Departing from a crossing runway after another aircraft rotated beyond the intersection.

  • D

    Crossing immediately behind and 1000 ft above a heavy wake turbulence category aircraft during the approach.

Refer to figure.
WAKE TURBULENCE

Whenever an aeroplane generates lift, air spills over the wing tips from the high pressure areas below the wings to the low pressure areas above them. This flow causes rapidly rotating whirlpools of air called wingtip vortices. An aircraft generates vortices from the moment it rotates on take-off to touchdown.

Looking at the answer options:

When climbing in light wind conditions, upwind of another aeroplane which has executed a low missed approach --> INCORRECT. You are upwind of the other aircraft and so it's wake is being blown away from you. Also, you are climbing and so further separating from the wake.

Landing on a crossing runway after another aircraft rotated prior to the intersection --> CORRECT. The departing aircraft rotated prior to the intersection and so was generating vortices which lie over your landing runway.

Departing from a crossing runway after another aircraft rotated beyond the intersection --> INCORRECT. If the departing aircraft has rotated beyond the crossing intersection, then no vortices are created until already past your runway. The take-off roll and climb will be clear of wake turbulence.

Crossing immediately behind and 1000 ft above a heavy wake turbulence category aircraft during the approach --> INCORRECT. You are crossing 1000 ft above the aircraft and so will be above the wake. Vortices gradually descend over time.

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