A Particular Study on Trailing Vortex Dynamics of a Cruising Jet Transport Aircraft

The trailing vortices from a Heavy Category jet transport aircraft in high altitude cruising flight have been measured in high spatiotemporal detail by a trailing NRC CT-133 research jet. A detailed case study of the state and dynamics of the trailing vortices has been conducted. Vortex separation, descent path and vortex core state have been derived. Emphasis has been placed upon the transient phenomena observed, measured and derived for vortex core state, including long-wave instability, helical vorticity, vortex core waves, core radii changes, vorticity re-distributions and reformations. The observations have been compared to a priori numerical and experimental analyses of line vortices, highlighting similarities of inviscid wave instabilities in the core, radial expansion with core centreline diffusion and core reformation.