CTO Wake Turbulence & Separation Standards Flashcards
6 cards from real CTO practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 CTO Wake Turbulence & Separation Standards flashcards as text
Which atmospheric condition is most conducive to wake vortex persistence near the ground?
Answer: Light winds and stable atmospheric conditions
Wake vortices persist longest in light wind, stable conditions because there is little mixing or dissipation of the vortex energy.
A Small aircraft is cleared to land on the same runway after a Heavy departed in the opposite direction. What is the primary wake turbulence concern?
Answer: Vortices may have drifted and settled near the runway surface in the touchdown zone
Vortices from an opposite-direction departure can settle and drift into the touchdown zone, creating a hazard for subsequent arrivals.
Under FAA Order 7110.65, the standard IFR radar separation behind a Super aircraft for a Small aircraft on final is how many nautical miles?
Answer: 6 nm
A Small aircraft following a Super requires 6 nautical miles of IFR wake turbulence separation on final approach.
Which statement about wake turbulence and parallel runways is correct?
Answer: A crosswind can carry vortices from one parallel runway to the other
Under certain crosswind conditions, wake vortices can migrate from one parallel runway to the adjacent one, requiring controllers to consider this hazard.
When should a tower controller advise pilots of wake turbulence by using the phrase 'TRAFFIC IS A HEAVY...'?
Answer: When issuing clearances to aircraft that may encounter wake turbulence from a preceding Heavy or Super
Controllers must include 'HEAVY' or 'SUPER' in the callsign and may provide traffic advisories to alert following pilots to potential wake turbulence.
What is the minimum time-based wake turbulence interval a tower controller may apply for a Small aircraft departing behind a Heavy aircraft on the same runway (no distance-based separation)?
Answer: 2 minutes
FAA Order 7110.65 specifies a 2-minute departure interval when applying time-based wake turbulence separation behind a Heavy aircraft.
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