When departing behind a heavy aircraft the pilot should avoid wake turbulence by maneuvering the aircraft

• A. Below and downwind
• B. At the same altitude
• C. Above and upwind from the heavy aircraft
• D. Directly behind

Answer: (C)

Wake turbulence from a heavy aircraft comes in wingtip vortices that sink as they drift with the wind. To avoid those vortices, you want to be in a position where they won’t sweep into your flight path as you climb away.

The best choice is to depart above and upwind from the heavy aircraft. Being above puts you out of the strongest part of the vortices, and being upwind uses the wind to push the vortices downwind away from you as you gain altitude.

Being below and downwind, at the same altitude, or directly behind would keep you in or directly behind the wake, increasing your risk of encountering the vortex.