Wake Turbulence

Editorial Staff

Tuesday, April 14, 2020 at 01:20 PM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Two pilots recount dangerous wake turbulence incidents, one from a jet during a downwind approach and another from large helicopters on the ground, highlighting the unexpected and severe nature of such encounters.
A pilot provides feedback on the EVAS system for cockpit smoke, acknowledging its effectiveness at altitude or with time, but cautioning that its setup time and positioning difficulty can be challenging in rapid, low-altitude emergencies.
A correction is issued for a previous article on IFR alternate minimums, clarifying that the required visibility for both precision and non-precision approaches is two miles, not one mile, unless other criteria are published.

See a mistake? Contact us.

We’ve been victimized by both types of wake turbulence you described in your article (“Wake Turbulence,” February 2020).

Some years ago we were on a left downwind for Runway 16L at Van Nuys, Calif., at 1000 feet agl. Without warning, our heads were slammed into the cockpit ceiling. Then, nothing. I looked up and around and spotted a Southwest Boeing 737 at our three o’clock, descending 90 degrees away from us toward the nearby Class C Burbank Airport. We had hit its wake. Burbank is busy place, and Van Nuys is one of the busiest GA fields in the U.S. This sort of thing must be almost routine here. We had already switched from SoCal Approach, but you’d think we might get a warning. Obviously, we missed him coming in above us from the left, so technically that was our fault.