What is Wake Turbulence? The Invisible Risk Behind Every Plane
An explainer on wake turbulence — the rotating air left by aircraft in flight, why it matters, and how ATC sequences traffic to keep everyone safe.
What wake turbulence is
Every aircraft that produces lift creates wing-tip vortices — large rotating cylinders of air trailing the wings. The bigger and slower the aircraft, the stronger the vortices.
For a heavy aircraft on takeoff or landing, those vortices can persist for several minutes and remain dangerous to smaller aircraft following.
Why it matters
A small aircraft entering a heavy aircraft's wake can be rolled past the limits of its control authority. Wake turbulence has caused fatal accidents.
ATC separation
Controllers apply minimum spacing behind heavy aircraft:
- A380 / 747-8 (Super): 4–8 nm.
- 777 / 787 / A350 (Heavy): 4–6 nm.
- A320 / 737 (Medium): 3 nm.
These translate to time gaps of 90 seconds to 3 minutes on takeoff or final approach.
What you might experience
- A small jolt during climbout if you're behind a heavy on a parallel runway.
- A delay on takeoff while ATC waits the required gap.
- Smooth, undisturbed flight in cruise (vortices dissipate quickly at altitude).
Visible wake
In humid air, wake vortices condense water vapor and become visible — the swirling spirals you sometimes see behind aircraft on landing.
Why it shows up in your tracker
FlightyFlow shows aircraft type. Behind a heavy on approach? Expect a longer arrival sequence.
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