The greatest vortex strength occurs when the generating aircraft is which of the following?

The greatest vortex strength occurs when the generating aircraft is heavy, clean, and slow due to the physics of wake turbulence. A heavy aircraft generates stronger vortices because the weight contributes to a higher angle of attack during flight, which influences the creation of more pronounced and stable wingtip vortices.

When the aircraft is clean, meaning that it has no flaps and landing gear extended, there is smoother airflow over the wings, further enhancing the generation of vortices. Additionally, the condition of being slow is crucial because vortices tend to stay closer to the ground when the aircraft is flying at lower speeds, allowing the turbulence to linger, impacting following aircraft more significantly.

This combination—being heavy, clean, and slow—creates the strongest vortex strength, which can pose a hazard to smaller or lighter aircraft following closely behind in the same flight path. Understanding these factors is essential for pilots during takeoff and landing phases, particularly when operating near larger aircraft.