Wake Turbulence

Question 1

What are the ICAO wake turbulence categories and their weights

Answer 1

Light: < 7000kg
Medium: 7000kg - 136000kg
Heavy: > 136000kg

Question 2

When is the wake turbulence of an aircraft at its maximum

Answer 2

When the aircraft is heavy, clean, and slow (typically during takeoff and initial climb)

Question 3

How long should a Medium and Light aircraft wait before departing behind a landing Super Heavy aircraft

Answer 3

Medium: 3 minutes

Light: 4 minutes

Question 4

How long does it take for the wake turbulence of a wide-bodied aircraft to dissipate after takeoff

Answer 4

2-3 minutes

Question 5

little or no wind conditions, trailing vortices move horizontally away at a height approximately equal to what proportion of the wingspan

Answer 5

Half the wingspan

Question 6

What is the minimum radar separation for light, medium, heavy and super heavy aircraft operating behind other aircraft?

Answer 6

(Leading a/c) - (Following a/c)

Super/Heavy - Super: not required
Super - Heavy: 6nm
Super - Medium: 7nm
Super - Light: 8nm

Heavy - Heavy - 4nm
Heavy - Medium: 5nm
Heavy - Light: 6nm

Medium - Light: 5nm

Question 7

What is the minimum radar separation required when a Medium or Light aircraft is positioned to cross behind or follow the same track as a Heavy aircraft during the en-route or intermediate approach phase

Answer 7

5nm

No additional time-based longitudinal separation is required

Question 8

When do radar wake turbulence separation distance minima apply between aircraft

Answer 8

When an aircraft follows or crosses behind another aircraft at the same altitude or less than 1 000 ft below it during the arrival or departure phase.

Question 9

What is the amount of time that is applied for seperation minimum between Light or Medium aircraft and a Super Heavy a/c when the Super Heavy a/c is conducting a low or missed approach and the other aircraft is operating in the opposite direction

Answer 9

A minimum of 3 minutes must be applied if the Light or Medium aircraft is:

a) Departing from an opposite-direction runway, or
b) Landing on the same runway in the opposite direction, or on a parallel opposite-direction runway separated by less than 760 m (2 500 ft)

Question 10

What are the non-radar wake turbulence longitudinal separation minima for departing aircraft behind a a Super Heavy a/c

Answer 10

3 min for Light/Medium
2 min for Heavy

Applies to:
-Same runway
-Parallel runways separated by less than 760 m (2 500 ft)
-Cossing runways where the second aircraft’s flight path will cross the first at the same altitude or less than 300 m (1 000 ft) below
-Parallel runways separated by 760 m (2 500 ft) or more where the flight paths will cross at the same altitude or less than 300 m (1 000 ft

Question 11

What is the general wait time for the following:
1-Light landing behind Super Heavy
2-Light taking off after Super Heavy
3-Light landing after Medium/Heavy
4-Light taking off after Medium/Heavy

Answer 11

1 - 4 minutes
2 - 3 minutes
3 - 3 minutes
4 - 2 minutes