This paper presents a feasibility study of a hybrid RANS–LES approach to numerical simulation of aircraft wing-tip vortices. A NACA 0012 wing is considered for which earlier published experimental and numerical data are available. Mesh sensitivity tests of our RANS solver and comparisons between two different turbulence models indicate that the RANS approach adequately describes the flow upstream from the trailing edge, but overestimates the rate of decay of the wing-tip vortex. A hybrid RANS–LES method is presented that results in a better agreement with the wind tunnel experiment, hence this approach is suggested for numerical simulation of the wake of an airliner.

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