When are vortices created on aircraft?

Vortices are created by an aircraft primarily when it takes off due to the difference in pressure between the upper and lower surfaces of the wings. As the aircraft becomes airborne, high-pressure air from beneath the wings spills over the wingtips to the lower pressure area above the wings. This creates swirling masses of air, known as wake turbulence or vortices, that trail behind the aircraft.

While vortices can also occur during other phases of flight, such as landing or when the aircraft is in the air, the initial and most significant generation of vortices happens at takeoff, where the aircraft generates enough lift to produce these powerful rotational airflows. Therefore, the moment of takeoff is critical in understanding when these vortices are formed and why they are a crucial consideration for air traffic control and flight operations.