Thread: Wake Turbulence
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Old 03-21-2006, 01:18 PM
  #3  
FlyerJosh
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Joined APC: Oct 2005
Position: Executive Transport Driver
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Wake turbulence can kill ya if you don't give it some respect. The worst cases that I've been through have been where we least expected it...

One was about 11 miles behind a 747-400 (in a CRJ). We were flying on the STAR into IAD, and this traffic was ahead of us on the same routing. Because we had departed a field that was relatively close to IAD, the 747 descended through our altitude on the arrival. We hit the wake, and it rolled us about 60 degrees each direction as we passed from one side to the other.

The other time was following a Smurf Jet (BAe-146) into ORD. We were about 2-2/1 or 3 miles behind and I noticed that I needed more and more aileron to keep the plane level. Nothing abrupt, but just this slow roll which required control deflection. At first I thought it was a flight control malfunction, but then realized that we were just in the wake and climbed out of it. I would guess that at it's worst, the yoke was turned about 45 degrees.

Overall though I think that if all the factors are known, pilots can take actions to minimize the risk and close some of the gaps. I know that many controllers get nervous with the Citation that I fly- flew into atlanta a few times last week and I don't think that we had any closer than 4 miles separation, and the controllers kept slowing us down. As long as I'm not behind a heavy or a 757, I have no problem with 3 miles as long as I can see the traffic and have an ILS to the runway.
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