Endeavor Air Indoctrination Training Practice Test

The key idea here is that enroute spacing between aircraft is a safety rule dictated by air traffic control, not by the pilots. When a large aircraft follows a heavy one, wake turbulence and performance differences require a defined minimum separation to keep both aircraft out of the wake and out of each other’s path. Pilots cannot reduce or waive this separation with their own actions; any change to spacing must come from ATC instructions, such as adjusting speed, changing altitude, or re-routing the flights. If the required spacing can’t be achieved, ATC will re-sequence or provide alternative instructions to restore safe separation. That’s why this statement is correct: separation cannot be waived by flight crew.