Wake turbulence is caused by the generation of lift needed by aircraft to fly as a pair of counter-rotating vortices forms behind aircraft in forward flight. After formation, these vortices interact with the local atmosphere and decay after time. Vortices from larger aircraft can pose problems to trailing aircraft that encounter them. Turbulence generated within and near strong vortices may cause significant upsets to encountering aircraft, resulting in personal injuries and/or damage to the aircraft.

The CSTA for Wake Turbulence provides technical advice to FAA senior leadership, government agencies, industry, and academia. He supports operational safety in national airspace systems by conducting event analyses and research, and by contributing to safety/training materials used by air traffic controllers and pilots.

Edward Johnson, PhD is FAA's Chief Scientific and Technical Advisor for Wake Turbulence. Dr. Johnson can be contacted at edward.johnson@faa.gov.