Wake Turbulence encounters

[chperplt]

Had a fun (NOT) encounter behind a 757 today going into LGA. We were about 4.5 miles behind the 757 and about 800 feet above when we got rocked. Turned the airplane on its side (about 60-70 degrees) in what seemed like a split second. Not a very pleasant experience..

Anyone have some interesting wake stories?

 

[chperplt]

Yea, this was in the Beech. We had 16 very scared passengers..

 

[abenaki]

I was behing a Mad Dog going into 36L at CVG in a Brasilia and got rocked pretty good...probably 50 degrees or so.....can't remember the distance.....

The concept of staying above the glidepath of the aircraft ahead is a generally accepted method of trying to avoid the wake, but I seem to remember more recent research saying that that strategy isn't as good as it was once thought to be......Any wake turb experts out there?

At BED the other day a Challenger ca asked me if I was flying the "X" parked outside the FBO.....I said that I was and he related that he got the +%*@#_! kicked out of him over dreem (sp?) intersection by the wake ofthe "X"......Not sure if that has something to do with the in-trail though I suppose he was the 5 miles back or the shape of the "X"'s wing or what.....I'm not familiar enough with the dynamics of it to know......

Just keep the shiny side up!

 

[FracPilot]

Wake Turbulence

On an ILS into Sydney in a Falcon 900 we encountered the wake of a 747-400. We were 1 dot above the glide slope, since we were 4 miles in trail of a 747, but as it turns out the 747 was put on the glide slope from above before we arrived on frequency. We ended up with a 70-80 degree bank angle to the right, 30 degree nose up attitude, and a 50 knot loss in airspeed resulting in a near stall. All this occured in about 2 seconds. The SIC was flying, and she handled everything perfectly and didn't seem at all phased....until after we landed 10 minutes later, at which time she kissed the ground(seriously) and spent about the next 45 minutes locked in the bathroom. I'm sure it didn't help that when it happened I nearly broke her hand trying to push the throttles further forward than they physically go and nearly deafened her yelling "power, power, power!".

 

[mar]

"Gear up, flaps up, what-the-...?"

I took off in a Metro behind a 737. We were just climbing thru 500' (retracting flaps/contracting departure) when we got the roll to the left. I was flying and made a 30 degree turn to avoid a second encounter. I told the FO to inform departure we're heading 270 to avoid wake turbulence. He tells departure, "...heading 270 for turbulence"

Anyone familiar with the roll response of a Metro III at max gross on a warm day while accelerating thru 130?

...blah...

 

[tarp]

Had a NW 757 flying about a half dot high all the way down the ILS4 at LGA. Had to fly the thing a full dot high on the GS and then he touched down on the second hash mark. Trying to squeeze a jet in after that landing almost at the end of the TD zone and then stopping before the 13-31 runway intersection is not fun. Of course, the usual LGA 5 mile separation (funny it keeps looking like 3.5 miles on the TCAS) just adds to the thrill. (Yeah and I know I didn't "have" to stop before the intersection, but it's LGA and they are still trying to fit 80 planes into a 60 plane airport. By stopping short, I allow one more guy to make his commute home!)

Basically, if you are at LGA and following either a 75 or a 76, keep it high and land it long. If you "feel" yourself falling into the wake, power it up. I love New York!

 

[Ty Webb]

Used Air

Going into ATL you often end up doing your own finessing of the "in-trail", using the TCAS to gauge the guy ahead and behind, knowing what they are flying and what airline they are flying for. . . . if it is a heavy, you are going to keep it on the 4-5 mile range of the TCAS, if it is a similar aircraft, you will be looking at 3-3.5 miles.

Watching the guy in front and behind is going to govern when you transition from the "to the marker" speed to your final approach speed. . . . Gaining on the heavy? Get dirty early and transition to cross the marker at approach speed. The guy behind eating you up, and a "company" ahead of you? Keep your speed up a little longer, start slowing over the marker. Doesn't sound like much difference, but it is the difference between getting rocked and/or making the guy behind you go around.

Some airlines tend to roll it to the end, so you have to allow for that, too. Not sure why they would do that on a 10,000 ft runway, but it seems to be pretty common for certain carriers, who wil remain nAAmeless . . .

I have gotten rocked behind heavies, and don't enjoy it much, but the greyer heads like to call it "used air" and don't sweat it as much as I do. . . . . Coming from a bizjet, though, I have a very healthy respect for that "used air".

 

[ArmyPilot]

Wake Turbulence

I was about 10 miles out of BOS at 6000' late one evening and the air was a smooth as could be. Then the aircraft started pulling left and as I fought it yanked right about 80 degrees. (Banged my head on the side window) I straightend it all up but it sure scared the daylights out of me. It is amazing how fast it all happens. The problem was we did not realize we where following two 767 about 5 miles ahead. Think I flew the approach TWO dots high that night. I calmed down about the time I made it to the hotel.

One thing if for sure - when the say "caution wake turbulence" I pay much more attention now!

 

[captjim]

I was coming back from Dallas back into IAH on very nice calm morning with almost 0 winds at 5,000ft. We were turned from base to a 12 mile final at 4,000ft. Of course ATC decends a 737-800 right over the top of us on the final. Being the smart guy that I am flew to the right of the centerline a little trying to avoid what I knew was coming, well it didn't work. The next thing I know we're banked left 60 degrees and 10 degrees nose down. We hit it at about 150 kts(just transitioning to landing config) and the controlls weren't very responsive. I had full right aileron and rudder. It looked like an unusal attitude given in the sim. It seemed like we were in it for atleast minute at least. That sucked! Avoid 73-800 and 900's like heavies. When I got on the ground I had a nice conversation with the approach supervisor about decending aircraft in front of other aircraft. I haven't seen that scenario sence than God!

 

[HappyFlying]

The Big Guys that like to fly the glideslope a dot high make it a bit tough on us little guys. I got rolled pretty hard at the outer marker in a Caravan IMC. I was unaware of the DC9 ahead because we were on different approach frequencies. I landed with a black eye and a Jepp binder impression on my cheek. The tower cautioned me on short final.

 

[capnflyright]

I got myself into wake turbulence behind a 727 on takeoff in Portland, Oregon. I was flying a Metroliner and departed a little to soon after the Kitty Hawk 27. The most surprising part about the encounter was what it felt like. We didn't encounter any turbulence but it felt like the guy in the right seat grabbed onto the yoke and began applying pressure as if he were banking to the left. It was a constant pressure which had I not applied opposite pressure would have rolled the airplane.

 

[LR25]

Going into CLT one night on the visual to 23 in a Dash-300, I was flying and like a couple other guys said, the controls started to get a constant and increasing pressure on them, we were right over the threshold, and right on the VASI.

I knew what was coming and started to make a correction to extend the landing so I wouldnt go through the wake. Well right when I added a little power, the airplane rolled and nosed down enough to get interesting. It took alot of aileron and almost full rudder to keep her lined up with the runway. My first thought was to go missed but with the airplane over the numbers and when the airplane settled down and when I was through dancing on the pedals I found myself right over the runway and smooth air, so I landed.

To anyalize it now, some might say that I did the wrong thing, but this all happened in a second or 2 before the airplane settled down, so fast that the Capt really didnt have anything to say untill the airplane was rolling down the runway.


Ohh yea, I went through some rotor wash of a UH-1 towing banners along time ago on the beach. He didnt move and I was caught between the condos and the UH-1, I dove around it at the last second pulled up and to the right and went into the wash, I was cargo along for the ride.

After I recovered, I looked on the beach and all the beach goers were all looking up at amazement that the airplane was still in the air, I guess I recovered at 50-75 feet.

Being cargo is a bad feeling.

 

[Russ]

I am really glad Southwest doesn't fly heavies or we would all be in trouble.

 

[Captain X]

I'll second that about the 73NGs!!!

A few years ago, right after CAL started getting 73-800s, we were departing IAH in a Brasilia. A 73-800 departed 15L with a turn out to the west. After they made their turn, we were cleared off of 15R with a westbound turn.

Made the right turn WELL inside of the 73s radius and WELL before their rotation point....

Anyhow, the 800 was continued around to a northbound heading to cross in front of us.

At about 800' AGL we got ROCKED-the worst I have ever seen!

Went from 7 degrees nose up and 25 degree right bank to 20 degrees nose DOWN and 90 degrees of bank.....the "Bank Angle!" and "Pull Up!" we arguing for attention.

Needless to say when we recovered at 500' AGL I cleaned out my shorts (the captain cleaned out her thong), Tower asked us if everything was okay (I guess they got a Low Altitude alert on us) and we trucked on to the LAYover.

Since that day, I watch NGs like hawks compared to 75s

 

[Av8trxx]

Beware, on the ground or in the air!

I was witness to one today. Of course, the media covered it....and got the story all wrong! Or rather, didn't give the whole story. Idiots....
Cessna flips over on landing at SAN

The actual cause of the accident was jetblast from a heavy MD-11 VARIG Airlines jetliner that had just landed and turned off the active runway. The Cessna was cleared to land behind the VARIG jet. During the Cessnas landing roll out, the airliner received his taxi clearance and added thrust to taxi. Unfortunately, the Cessna passed behind the MD-11 at that time and was thrown over like a piece of paper in the wind. The Cessna was literally picked up and blown over on it's back by this jet!!!

I wasted no time in contacting News 8 and correcting them. Like they care.....

 

[dav8or]

Flew a dot high behind a 727 going into PIT in a Saab one a day. He landed long, I hit his wake in the flare. Used all of 32 to land. When we pulled off the runway we had to get out a map to taxi because we had never been in that corner of the airport.

Got some good wake off a UH-60 while instructing in a 152 too.