Wake turbulence...

Cool video, the smoke really shows what is going on.

I have been caught in wake turbulence a few times. The absolute worst was when a CH-46 suddenly crossed the runway in front of me without any radio calls while I was crossing the threshold to land. I did not have positive control for a several seconds and had doubts as to the outcome of the incident.
 
If you've ever had a wake turbulence encounter, you don't ever want another. Years ago my CFII and I had one coming into SJC in a 172. ATC slid a 757 in front of us even though we were established on a 7-mile final, and before we could take evasive action we caught the wake. Almost rolled us inverted. Fortunately, we had enough altitude to recover. I hope to never experience that again.
 
...even mid air you gotta watch out. Got caught in a 747's wake at 3500'. He was climbing and I crossed his path. He was a good 15 miles out by time I hit that spot and I though I was above his climb out path...wrong!
 
Shawn said:
...even mid air you gotta watch out. Got caught in a 747's wake at 3500'. He was climbing and I crossed his path. He was a good 15 miles out by time I hit that spot and I though I was above his climb out path...wrong!
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I had a similar experience flying through an MOA. Two large jets in formation climbing out in front of me. Air was smooth as glass and then :hairraise:
 
Never had it at cruise, but at SNA I'll experience a sudden 50 degree bank angle on final about once a month. Luckily for me I know how to handle it if the wake finds me. My muscles act on their own.
 
More like luckily for you it has been within the limits of your aircraft to overcome....
 
I don't play with it. I'm quick to do one of these:
- Wait 2-3 min to takeoff if something heavy left before me
- Do a 360 in the pattern to delay landing (whatever takes 2-3 minutes)
- If I have a long runway, use the opportunity to come in high and practice a good slip

Also keep in mind that landing in a quartering tailwind behind a heavy aircraft is worse. That tailwind tends to keep those rotors in the touchdown zone. No thanks. I'll wait and burn some more circles in the sky.
 
Wow that's scary. That's not exactly the kind of airplane I'd think of as a wake generator either.
 
petrolero said:
Wow that's scary. That's not exactly the kind of airplane I'd think of as a wake generator either.
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Agree, I wouldn't have thought twice about wake turbulence there. Do we know the outcome of the Robin?
 
they should just make the pattern 'no wake' zones :)
 
This one a few years ago was scary, but fortunately a good outcome.

The ILS for runway 8 at Burbank crosses over Van Nuys airport midfield, at right angles to VNY runways. An American General Tiger was downwind for 16L at VNY. Let the NTSB pick up the story ...
The outboard 1/3 of the aircraft's left wing was deformed upward about 5 degrees with respect to the inboard section during an encounter with wake turbulence while on downwind leg for landing. The upper wing skins of both wings exhibited compression buckling, and the mass balance weights on both ailerons were separated and fell from the aircraft. The pilot reported that the flight was unremarkable until, while downwind for landing, there was an instantaneous jolt of sudden severe turbulence that ended before he could take any action. Data obtained from the airport noise abatement office showed that 2 minutes 23 seconds prior to the encounter, a heavy transport aircraft passed over the location on an ILS approach to another airport 6 miles away; the transport airplane was about 500 feet higher than the accident airplane as it crossed the location. The air traffic control tower at the airport where the accident occurred made a wake turbulence cautionary broadcast to all aircraft 30 seconds prior to when the accident aircraft first contacted the tower for landing. The cautionary broadcast was not repeated.​
 
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Pilawt said:
This one a few years ago was scary, but fortunately a good outcome.



The ILS for runway 8 at Burbank crosses over Van Nuys airport midfield, at right angles to VNY runways. An American General Tiger was downwind for 16L at VNY. Let the NTSB pick up the story ...

The outboard 1/3 of the aircraft's left wing was deformed upward about 5 degrees with respect to the inboard section during an encounter with wake turbulence while on downwind leg for landing. The upper wing skins of both wings exhibited compression buckling, and the mass balance weights on both ailerons were separated and fell from the aircraft. The pilot reported that the flight was unremarkable until, while downwind for landing, there was an instantaneous jolt of sudden severe turbulence that ended before he could take any action. Data obtained from the airport noise abatement office showed that 2 minutes 23 seconds prior to the encounter, a heavy transport aircraft passed over the location on an ILS approach to another airport 6 miles away; the transport airplane was about 500 feet higher than the accident airplane as it crossed the location. The air traffic control tower at the airport where the accident occurred made a wake turbulence cautionary broadcast to all aircraft 30 seconds prior to when the accident aircraft first contacted the tower for landing. The cautionary broadcast was not repeated.​
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Interesting. I've been in the pattern at VNY when Burbank was landing to the east. I remember gawking at the airliners overhead.

Never gave a thought to the possibility of crossing wake turbulence being violent there.

Long long time ago and a lot younger and stupider too about the need for full control deflections sometimes. Kinda glad that old me didn't hit one.
 
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