Pilot Exam Coach

US Private Pilot

Switch to Canada PSTAR
AerodynamicsQuestion 439 of 934

Under which conditions are wingtip vortices the strongest?

  1. When the aircraft is light, clean, and fast
  2. When the aircraft is heavy, dirty, and fast
  3. When the aircraft is heavy, clean, and slow
  4. When the aircraft is light, dirty, and slow
Show answer

Correct answer: When the aircraft is heavy, clean, and slow

Vortices are greatest when the generating aircraft is heavy, clean, and slow, as in takeoff, climb, and landing.

Source: Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA-H-8083-25C), Chapter 5: Aerodynamics of Flight — Wingtip Vortices — Avoiding Wake Turbulence, page 106

Practice aerodynamics

Questions last reviewed: 18 October 2026