prop wash
Blade-generated airflow blast
Prop wash is the turbulent air pushed backward by a spinning propeller, whether on an aircraft or boat.
Pilots and ground crews avoid standing behind running propellers because the blast can knock a person down.
On water, prop wash is the churning wake directly behind an outboard motor.
The term also serves as a prank—sending a new recruit to fetch "a bucket of prop wash" from the supply room.
Aerodynamic wake zone
- wakePath left in water
- vortexRotating fluid column
- downwashAir deflected beneath airfoil
- turbulenceChaotic flow patterns
blast · backwash · pressure differential · velocity · momentum · swirl · eddy · circulation
Rotating blades creating thrust
- aircraftAirborne transportation vehicle
- pilotOne who steers aircraft
- hangarAircraft storage structure
- runwayPaved path for planes
taxiway · tarmac · rotor · nacelle · engine · cockpit · altimeter · rudder
Machine producing motion
- powerEnergy transfer rate
- propulsionForce driving movement forward
- accelerationRate velocity changes
- forceStrength or compulsion
torque · throttle · exhaust · horsepower · RPM · pitch · blade angle · idle
slipstream
Aerodynamic wake zone
turbulence · blast · backwash · pressure differential · velocity · momentum · swirl · eddy · circulation · aerodynamics
propeller
Rotating blades creating thrust
runway · taxiway · tarmac · rotor · nacelle · engine · cockpit · altimeter · rudder · aileron
engine
Machine producing motion
- powerEnergy transfer rate
- propulsionForce driving movement forward
- accelerationRate velocity changes
force · torque · throttle · exhaust · horsepower · RPM · pitch · blade angle · idle · full throttle
caution
Careful attention to risk
debris · safety · accident · injury · collision · damage · suction · ingestion · exclusion zone · hearing protection
prop washprevailing wind
Most frequent wind direction
breeze · trade winds · sea breeze · zephyr · gust
prop, wash, props, propped, propping, washed, washes, washing, washer