WAKE vortices are horizontal tornadoes that stream corkscrew-like from the flaps and wing tips of aircraft. Those created by large aircraft can present a severe hazard to smaller aircraft (Â鶹´«Ã½, 24 November 2001, p 13). Given the nightmare of a problem that air traffic control centres must have in sorting out aircraft over major cities, I suggested to the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions that wake vortices were a problem worthy of urgent consideration
I was delighted that Stephen Byers, the hard-pressed Transport Secretary, took time to address these concerns himself. He agreed that all…
