Laboratory testing the applicability of background oriented schlieren method in aerodynamic experiments is accomplished. As a test-object was considered toroidal air vortex created by plunger generator. The vortex was recorded directly at the outlet of the generator. Air inside the generator is heated by combustion of acetone to improve the quality of visualization. Background for BOS-method was illuminated led spotlight. To confirm the results were used shiftinterferometer IT-228. Comparison of the obtained results shows the possibility using the BOSmethod for visualization optical inhomogeneities of the flow.