Wake Turbulence

[chignutsak]

Have any of you experienced a wake turbulence encounter? If so, please share details of the encounter, altitude, a/c type, wx, etc. As a new pilot I'm trying to correlate FAA guidance with real world experience.

Thanks!

 

[learflyer]

lax the other night. Tried staying above a 757's wake but didn't work!

 

[chperplt]

Too many to list them all. Here's one of my favorites

Flying a Beech 1900... 3 1/2 behind a 319 on the Expressway Vis in LGA @2500. We start to feel the wake turb as we turn onto the expressway. It's a 319 I say to the FO so it shouldn't be much of a problem. Winds were out of the NE so most of it should be blown off the expressway. Next thing I knew we were rolling to the right rather quickly.. full opposite control didn't do a darn thing. We continue to roll to about 80-85 degrees bank before the controls decided to work. The 19 people I had in the back from ACK weren't very thrilled...

It's amazing how these things seem to happen in slow motion.

 

[91100 100 set]

Probably just about everybody has gotten a few bumps from a wake here and there. The FAA advice is good. Touching down a little longer behind another plane bigger than you (without leaving yourself short of runway), flying a dot high on the glideslope on a visual approach, etc. The biggest thing is to be aware of where you might find it at all times. Blowing over from parallel runway, hanging around the touchdown zone in a light tailwind, even crossing it on an intersecting runway. Runway 35/27R at PHL is a good example. Very typical "fair weather" arrangement. The big planes land on 27R, the smaller ones on 35. Both tend to touch down right around the intersection, and occasionally you might find a left quartering tailwind on 35, so it's not at all uncommon to find a bump or worse just prior to touchdown, in that case you're just crossing it at a 90 degree angle and not spending significant time in it, but it can be enough to goof up a smooth touchdown. Just be aware of it and be ready for it.

 

[Flylo]

Soooo.... what happened?

lax the other night. Tried staying above a 757's wake but didn't work!

.

You obviously didn't perish with all aboard?

Did you do a couple of quick rolls and flare out to land or is a Lear heavy enough that it just tossed you around a bit?

I've always wondered what big time wake turbulence would really do to a light airplane like a 172. Although we are constantly warned and taught "how to avoid" getting caught in it, I don't remember hearing of any recent accidents caused by it (maybe the warnings work). Will it actually flip a light airplane on it's back or is it overrated as a threat?

Or, are we just lucky that heavies and GA aircraft don't usually frequent the same runways?

.

 

[chperplt]

Will it actually flip a light airplane on it's back or is it overrated as a threat?

Overrated threat??? Go do an internet search on wake turbulence. Go to the NTSB website and search wake accidents. Many have died as a result. Small airplanes to big airplanes..

An overrated theat.. No way in he!!

 

[midlifeflyer]

Other than the minor steep turn wake, one encounter on purpose.

A newly minted pilot fro the west coast was visiting friends in Denver and wanted to experience a little density altitude. We ended flying down to Pueblo where, on our way out, Tower cleared us for takeoff on 35 shortly after two C130s were landing on the crossing runway 8L. Although he clearly saw them (if he didn't, we'd have to get him an eye test!), he headed out onto the runway and put in th power.

I had been watching closely and knew that the first of the pair touched down before crossing our runway. The second, however touched down after crossing. Although safety time was yet up, I figured it was safe enough for a lesson and let him go.

As we passed the crossing runway, we got tossed into about a 60° bank - nothing major but it was enough to generate a yelp from the pilot (who did a fine job of recovery) and an inquiry from the Tower.

 

[learflyer]

.

You obviously didn't perish with all aboard?

Did you do a couple of quick rolls and flare out to land or is a Lear heavy enough that it just tossed you around a bit?

I've always wondered what big time wake turbulence would really do to a light airplane like a 172. Although we are constantly warned and taught "how to avoid" getting caught in it, I don't remember hearing of any recent accidents caused by it (maybe the warnings work). Will it actually flip a light airplane on it's back or is it overrated as a threat?

Or, are we just lucky that heavies and GA aircraft don't usually frequent the same runways?

.

Actually, I don't fly lears any more. I was in the beechjet. It was just kind of a quick wing drop and that was about it. I still hate that stuff though.

 

[Vector4fun]

Many years ago I departed in a C152 and turned out to the West. Tower pointed out the FAA's 727 inbound on a practice VOR approach. I reported the traffic in sight, was issued a cautionary advisory and cleared on course. I figured since I was at right angles to the 727, that crossing a mile behind couldn't be too dangerous, since I wouldn't get the roll.

I didn't, but I got a knot on my head from the spar carry-thru that lasted a week. Could have been KO'd if it had been a bit harder.

Learned my lesson.

 

[flyer84]

At Sky Harbor and at Williams-Gateway:
Both airports land heavy jets and both can have considerable wake turb present. It took me a while to learn my lesson, however. As a private pilot in a 172 at PHX behind a 737 I got some wake turb. It was just a quick roll to right about 60-70 degrees. After getting my commercial, I was landing behind a KC-135 air tanker (707) at Gateway in a 172. The same thing happened and now I realize that wake is a REAL hazard.
I always take my private pilot students into Sky Harbor to that the can actually expierence dealing with a pushy ground controller who wants them to taxi to the end of a 11,500' runway for takeoff. I have them request an intersection departure beyond the airliners' touchdown point and explain that it is up to the PIC to ensure the safety of the flight. This may seem rude and needless, but who knows if it may save them later.