Pilot Exam Coach

US Private Pilot

Switch to Canada PSTAR
Airport operationsQuestion 227 of 934

Wake vortices from a large airplane sink close to the ground in a no-wind condition. How do they move?

  1. They climb straight up and disappear
  2. They stay in one place under the flight path
  3. They drift sideways at about 2 or 3 knots
  4. They move forward along the runway at 30 knots
Show answer

Correct answer: They drift sideways at about 2 or 3 knots

Vortices within 100 to 200 feet of the ground tend to move laterally at 2 or 3 knots.

Source: Aeronautical Information Manual (FAA, Basic with Change 3, 9 July 2026), AIM 7-4-4 Vortex Behavior, page 607

Practice airport operations

Questions last reviewed: 18 October 2026