Private Pilot Private Exam

Wingtip vortices are created when an aircraft is:

1. Descending at high speed

2. Taxiing on the ground

3. Developing lift

4. Flying in a straight level flight

The correct answer is: Developing lift

Wingtip vortices are a natural byproduct of the lift generated by an aircraft's wings. When an aircraft is developing lift, the pressure difference between the upper and lower surfaces of the wings causes the high-pressure air from below to flow around the wingtips to the lower-pressure area above the wings. This swirling motion creates vortices that trail behind the aircraft. These vortices are more pronounced in larger aircraft, particularly during takeoff and landing phases when lift is being maximized. The strength of these vortices is influenced by several factors, including the weight of the aircraft, speed, and configuration of the wings. When an aircraft is taxiing, descending, or flying straight and level without actively generating lift, it does not create the strong vortices characteristic of lift generation. Therefore, the correct choice points to the essential process of lift development as the cause of wingtip vortices.