Definition
Consolidated Wake Turbulence (CWT) is the FAA system used by air traffic controllers to determine the minimum spacing required between aircraft on departure or arrival to protect a following aircraft from the wake turbulence of the one ahead. It groups aircraft into categories (currently A through I) based on a combination of maximum certificated takeoff weight and wingspan, and assigns required separation distances or time intervals between specific category pairings. CWT replaced earlier wake turbulence categorization systems that relied on weight class alone (Small, Large, Heavy, Super).
Plain English
CWT is the rulebook that controllers use to decide how much space to leave between one aircraft and the next so the one behind doesn't get hit by the swirling air left behind by the one in front. Each aircraft type sits in a category, and the categories together tell the controller how far apart, or how many seconds apart, the two aircraft need to be.
Context Anchor
Seen in air traffic control, wake-turbulence separation, and runway arrival or departure spacing discussions.
Derivation
Consolidated means brought together into one system. Earlier wake turbulence rules used a few broad weight classes, which didn't always match the real wake behavior of modern aircraft. CWT consolidates aircraft characteristics — weight and wingspan together — into a single, more accurate set of categories.
Why Pilots Care
Correct CWT separation keeps following aircraft clear of dangerous wake vortices that can cause sudden roll or loss of control near the ground.
Intuition Check
CWT is not a special type of turbulence. It is a control and spacing system used to manage the turbulence aircraft leave behind.
Example Sentence 1
Tower applied CWT spacing between the heavy jet ahead and our light twin, holding us on the runway for an extra two minutes before clearing us for takeoff.
Example Sentence 2
Under CWT rules the aircraft was reclassified from heavy to a lower group, shortening the required interval for the following flight.