When issuing a wake turbulence advisory, which information should be included?

• A. Runway number and aircraft type
• B. Position, altitude if known, and direction of flight
• C. Destination airport and time of arrival
• D. Ground speed and heading

Answer: (B)

Wake turbulence advisories are there to tell a following aircraft where the hazards from the leading aircraft’s wingtip vortices may lie. The most important details to include are your position relative to the preceding aircraft, altitude if known, and the direction of flight. Knowing where you are in relation to the other plane, along with how high you are, and which way you’re moving, lets the pilot judge if the wake could affect their path and how to adjust spacing or timing. Altitude provides vertical separation information, and the direction of flight clarifies whether you’re on the same track behind the lead aircraft or on a crossing or converging path. The other pieces of data—such as runway number and aircraft type, destination and ETA, or ground speed and heading—don’t directly inform the wake hazard and aren’t the focus of the advisory.