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Category: <span>wake turbulence</span>

Wake Turbulence Found Guilty

aircraft.jpg__atkinson_Preliminary investigation of the Indian Air Force Lockheed C-130J-30 Super Hercules that crashed on Friday March 28, 2014, killing five, indicates that the accident may have been the result of wake turbulence.

The Hercules that crashed 72 miles from Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh was in a twoship formation on a training mission when it flew into the wake turbulence of the lead aircraft. Because of the low altitude (300 feet), the crew could not establish control in order to avert the crash.

The mission was flying from Agra-Kheria Air Force Station to Gwalior Airport, India.

Although the findings reportedly rule out “technical error,” incidents resulting from wake turbulence (i.e. composed of wingtip vortices and jet wash) are generally considered pilot error. Jet wash gases from engines dissipate quickly, but vortices from the wings can last three minutes.

Although most incidents resulting from a plane flying in another’s wake turbulence are reported in takeoff and landing situations at airstrips, it is also a hazard in formation flying, so that planes in the far position must concentrate on staying on or above leader’s glide path. Vortices sink at a rate of 90 to 150 meters/minute

The ICAO has separation minima standards for take-off and landing.


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2006 Wake Turbulence Event

What: Vueling Airbus A320-200 en route from Barcelona to Santiago de Compostela
Where: Barcelona
When: May 28 2006
Who: 137 passengers 7 crew
Why: The airbus suffered wake turbulence causing the plane to roll to the right. The crew regained Santiagocontrol and continued to where they landed safely, although 4 passengers and 3 crew members were hurt.

The wake turbulence was caused by an A340 ten miles ahead.

Separation was met, and CIAIAC said weather was not a factor. The NTSB Report said probable case was due to In flight separation of the vertical stabilizer as a result of loads beyond system design caused by first officer’s excessive rudder input.


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Air Canada Wake Turbulence


Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Frank Robitaille

What: Air Canada Jazz de Havilland Dash 8-300 en route from Calgary Edmonton
Where: Edmonton
When: Dec 19th 2010
Who: 3 aboard
Why: While on autopilot approach to Edmonton and flying 6-7 nautical miles behind a Boeing 767-300, the plane was affected adversely by wake turbulence.

The crew disengaged autopilot and recovered from a 30 degree roll to make a safe landing.


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New Wake Turbulence Technology Makes Microbursts Visible


A new system generates real time acoustic technology images of transient aircraft wake turbulence in detail; and the system has been in use at Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport for two years. The system uses acoustic technique to measure sudden downdrafts or micro-bursts, and cells of air turbulence in a plane’s wake. The technology provides accurate visible measures of transient heretofore invisible forces.

The impetus behind the technology is to translate severe wake turbulence and wind shear events in real time to high definition to advance aviation safety and airport efficiency. The patented aircraft wake and wind-shear mapping technology is being developed and is owned by the Sondei Group


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Canada Publishes 2008 Wake Turbulence Event Report


Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Randall Johnson

What: Air Canada Airbus A319-100 en route from Victoria,BC to Toronto,ON
Where: Calgary
When: Jan 10th 2008
Who: 83 passengers and 5 crew
Why: Over Washington state, the Airbus which was following a UA Boeing at at least the minimum approved distance was subjected to an interim of wake turbulence which seriously injured 3 and caused minor injuries to 8. Findings on this 2008 event included the cause as wake turbulence. The event brings to question trolley and storage security and rudder control input.


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LAX Wake Turbulence


Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Francisco Muro


Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Rudy Chiarello

updated
What: American Eagle Embraer ERJ-140 en route from Lindbergh Field San Diego to Los Angeles
What: LAN Airlines Boeing 767-300 from from Lima Peru to Los Angeles, CA
Where: LAX
When: Jan 19th 2010
Why: At the time of the American Eagle’s arrival to LAX, both jets were flying at the same altitude. The danger was not collision. The danger was wake turbulence. Required separation behind the Boeing is 5 nautical miles.

George’s Point of View

Trailing behind an aircraft, wake turbulence is made up of multiple force drafts including wingtip vortices and jetwash. Jetwash is jet engine gas output which is turbulent but of short term but wingtip vortices can remain for up to three minutes.

Picture, if you will, invisible speed bumps made of wind that could knock your car off the road trailing the car in front of you. If this were a factor with cars, tailgating would be a completely different thing.

A cockpit voice recorder of the pilots responses will clearly indicate if the plane in the rear of the situation runs into the leading aircraft’s wake. What officials are questioning here are the actions and responses of LAX Air Traffic Control, which placed these two jets close enough to be endangered.

On January 19, maybe Air Traffic Control error put the Eagle jet less than three miles from the 767, but the pilot managed to stay out of the other jet’s wake. LAX denies this is a case of inexperience and maybe they are correct, because the worst case scenario crash did not happen. Maybe it would have happened if the jet following were flying at lower altitude.

What matters is that the flight landed safely and whether it was ATC or the pilot, someone did something right because both flights made it to the ground safely.

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