Issue wake turbulence cautionary advisories including the position, altitude if known, and direction of flight to aircraft operating behind an aircraft that requires wake turbulence separation when ___.

• A. IFR aircraft on final approach
• B. VFR aircraft that are not being radar vectored, but that are behind the larger aircraft
• C. Any aircraft approaching the airport
• D. Aircraft on departure immediately after the lead

Answer: (B)

Wake turbulence hazards come from the vortices shed by a heavier aircraft, and pilots need timely awareness to avoid these lingering effects. The best practice is to issue a wake turbulence cautionary advisory to aircraft that will be following a larger aircraft that requires wake separation, specifically when those trailing aircraft are not being radar vectored. That way, pilots who aren’t under direct radar guidance can still know where the lead is, where the vortices might be, and how to position themselves safely—hence including the trailing aircraft’s position, altitude (if known), and direction of flight to aid their situational awareness and decision making.

If the following aircraft are IFR and radar vectored, ATC already provides structured guidance and separation, so a separate advisory isn’t as necessary. The advisory isn’t meant for every aircraft approaching the airport or for departures immediately after the lead, because those scenarios involve different procedures and sequencing.