Wake Turbulence

Editorial Staff

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

Verified

Key Takeaways:

A pilot recounts two severe wake turbulence encounters, one from a commercial jet and another from large helicopters, highlighting the unpredictable nature of wake turbulence and the need for situational awareness or better ATC coordination.
A B767 captain provides practical insights on the EVAS (Emergency Vision Assurance System) for cockpit smoke, noting its benefits but emphasizing the challenges of quick deployment and positioning, especially during low-altitude emergencies.
A correction clarifies IFR alternate weather minimums, stating that the standard visibility requirements for choosing an alternate are typically two miles, not one mile, for both precision (600 ft) and non-precision (800 ft) approaches.

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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.