Definition

Wake turbulence. Wingtip vortices that are created when an airplane generates lift. When an airplane generates lift, air spills over the wingtips from the high pressure areas below the wings to the low pressure areas above them. This flow causes rapidly rotating whirlpools of air called wingtip vortices or wake turbulence.

Source: US FAA Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge

Description

Wake vortex turbulence is generated from the point when the nose landing gear of an aircraft leaves the ground on take off and will cease to be generated when the nose landing gear touches the ground during landing. Wake vortices are present behind every aircraft, but are particularly severe when generated by a large and wide-bodied jet aircraft. Where another aircraft encounters such turbulence, a Wake Vortex Encounter (WVE) is said to have occurred.