Wake Vortex/ Aircraft Encounters






Researcher: Sheri Joyner
Mentor: Dr. Sonya Smith,
Howard University

This project investigates the aerodynamic effects of wake vortex/ aircraft encounters on ER-2 aircraft. A wake vortex is area of low-pressure turbulence that flows behind a moving object with a circular motion and tends to form a vaccum in its center as it draws bodie subjects towards it. All aircraft form wake vortices when their winds are producing lift, which is dervied from the differnce of the low pressure on top of the wing and the high pressure on the bottom surface of the wing. We are concerned with the effect that the wake vortices have on aircraft during landing and takeoff as well as aircraft in flight. This area of research is of great importance for several reasons; one being that airports are trying to maximize their capacity. In order to accomplish this, air traffic controllers will have to reduce the spacing between each aircraft during take off and landing. Thus, there has to be a vortex hazard criterion developed to identify the location and strength wake vortices left behind by other aircraft. This vortex hazard criterion is required to ensure the safety of the airplanes, the pilots and the passengers from the training vortices. A part of this research will be to study mathematical models, which attempt to to characterize vortex effects that are acceptable for operational use. These models are designed to take in consideration that atmospheric conditions, the vortex decay, the interactions of the vortex with the ground, and the clear air turbulence.

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