Wake turbulence is greatest when generated by an aircraft that is?

Wake turbulence is a significant factor in aviation safety, primarily caused by the vortices that form at the wingtips of an aircraft. The generation of wake turbulence is influenced by various factors related to the aircraft's weight, configuration, and speed.

The option indicating that wake turbulence is greatest when an aircraft is heavy, in a clean configuration, and flying at a slow speed is based on the principles of how lift and drag interact. A heavy aircraft generates more lift as it takes off or lands, creating stronger vortices. The "clean configuration" refers to the aircraft's wing and control surfaces being in a position that minimizes drag (e.g., flaps retracted), which allows for the generation of stronger lift at lower speeds. In slow flight, the aircraft is generally operating closer to its stall speed, where lift follows a non-linear relationship with attitude and airspeed. The combination of these factors — greater weight leading to heavier vortices, a configuration that maximizes lift without excess drag, and slower speeds leading to sustained vortex strength — means that wake turbulence is indeed most intense under these conditions.

Thus, this option correctly identifies the conditions that yield the most significant wake turbulence, emphasizing the critical need for separation between aircraft during takeoff and landing maneu