Wake Turbulence In IMC

From my base in Santa Barbara, Calif., I often fly north to San Jose (KSJC). At San Jose, GA aircraft operate from Runway 29, parallel and to the west of the two main runways, 30L and 30R for jets. All the runways have straight-out IFR missed-approach procedures.One night, while I was waiting for release on 29, Southwest 376 (a 737) reported on final and asked, How close is 376 to the killer bee ahead? He was referring to a 757 and its reputation for leaving a brutal wake.

Key Takeaways:

• The article highlights that Air Traffic Control (ATC) explicitly places responsibility for wake turbulence avoidance on pilots, even when ATC procedures create high-risk scenarios for light general aviation aircraft.
• The author recounts a critical incident at John Wayne Airport where a go-around put him directly in the path of a departing 757's wake, and ATC's recommended avoidance instructions were deemed inadequate and potentially dangerous.
• Pilots must develop proactive strategies for wake turbulence avoidance, such as coordinating with tower for optimal arrival times or pre-planning specific deviations during missed approaches, as ATC guidance may not sufficiently ensure safety for light aircraft.

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