HackerTube

Planes clouds and vortices

flugsnug2 HN recommenders · 2017–2026
2.3M views · demo · evergreen · Uploaded 2014-11-06

A short compilation of aircraft flying through clouds and moist air, showing the spiraling vortices that wings leave behind. The footage shows wingtip vortices and the way planes disturb cloud layers.

HN commenters link it as a visual illustration of wingtip vortices and wake turbulence when discussing lift and aircraft wakes.

Aviation & aerospace engineeringEveryday physics & science demos

Watch on YouTube

4 comments from Hacker News

@phumbe2017 · in “Enroute Airbus A380 wake flips Challenger business jet upside down”

For anyone interested, there are several great youtube videos[1-4] that show the wakes (the wingtip vortices in particular) created by various aircraft. This incident brings the Reduced Vertical Separation Minima (RVSM)[5] into question. Strategic Lateral Offset Procedure (SLOP)[6] can be used used to avoid such incidents. [1] [LINK] [2] [VIDEO] [3] [LINK] [4] [LINK] [5] [LINK] [6] [LINK]

RecommendsView on HN
@mncharity2020 · in “Ask HN: What scientific phenomenon do you wish someone would explain better?”

One concept is "heavier than air" flight is throwing air downward. Visuals help: [1] [LINK] [2] [LINK] [3] [LINK] [4] [VIDEO]

CitesView on HN
@ertemplin2021 · in “Incorrect Lift Theory”

Regarding your 2nd answer, taking off quickly after another aircraft has departed is difficult because of wake turbulence. The most hazardous part of wake turbulence is the spiraling wingtip vortices which can be observed in this neat video: [VIDEO] One notable wake turbulence incident was in 2006 at Boeing Field in Seattle where a Cessna 172 and Boeing 747 were both on final approach for parallel runways. The Cessna 172 got flipped almost upside down and recovered 150 feet over the terrain: [LINK]

RecommendsView on HN
@mncharity2026 · in “Show HN: Interactive physics simulations I built while teaching my daughter”

Two quick errata: In Sound / Biology, a control inversion: low pitch (slider and sound) animates blue short hairs, and high pitch animates long red. In the windtunnel > Wing, lift is reported but the airstream remains undeflected.[1] [1] randomly, fwiw, I've used cloud deck slicing to illustrate downdraft, eg [LINK] [LINK] . Or perhaps moments of "yoink" like... err, [VIDEO] .

CitesView on HN