Australian Qantas A380 Gets Rare 'Jolt' From Wake Turbulence

RDoug

RDoug

Well-Known Member
Australian Qantas A380 Gets Rare 'Jolt' From Wake Turbulence
  • Australia's Qantas Airways Ltd said on Thursday one of its Airbus SE A380 jets had experienced a rare "jolt" from wake turbulence after flying 20 nautical miles behind another one of its super-jumbos.
  • In January 2017, wake turbulence behind an Emirates A380 sent a business jet into an uncontrolled descent, with the smaller plane losing nearly 9,000 feet before the crew was able to gain control, according to an interim report by German investigators.
 
Can you definitively tell when it's wake turbulence and not just turbulence? I mean I had an A320 ask what he's following cause he caught some wake but he was #1
 
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NovemberEcho said:
Can you definitively tell when it's wake turbulence and not just turbulence? I mean I had an A320 ask what he's following cause he caught some wake and he was #1
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Yes.
I was following a super into IAH. It rolled us almost instantly past 30* .
Normal turbulence rattles, I suppose.
 
NovemberEcho said:
Can you definitively tell when it's wake turbulence and not just turbulence? I mean I had an A320 ask what he's following cause he caught some wake but he was #1
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like Nark said, yes.

It’s hard to explain how but wake is just ... different. It bumps differently and very distinctly.
 
NovemberEcho said:
Can you definitively tell when it's wake turbulence and not just turbulence? I mean I had an A320 ask what he's following cause he caught some wake but he was #1
Click to expand...

Normal turbulence is usually a bit more up and down, I'm sure you've felt it as a passenger. Wake usually has a strong rolling element to it. Not only is it a jolt but there's usually a roll that can't be compensated for, which is what makes it unnerving for most pilots. The plane is out of control for a brief moment or if you're climbing or descending behind someone those moments can be sequential and longer. No bueno.
 
Yeah, that business jet incident they reference, I think they rolled a Challenger completely over and inverted with 380 wake turbulence. IIRC, they managed to get it down but the plane was a write off because of the damage.
 
gotWXdagain said:
An A380 caught wake? What did it pass behind, a planet?
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That’s no planet

gallery-tech-kick-starter-death-star-1.jpg
 
FlyingAccountant said:
Yeah, that business jet incident they reference, I think they rolled a Challenger completely over and inverted with 380 wake turbulence. IIRC, they managed to get it down but the plane was a write off because of the damage.
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There was one in Europe that got a lot of publicity, but there was also one here in LA with a corporate jet like 25-30 behind an Emirates Super that lost control of the aircraft and reported a few injuries onboard.

Ever since seeing that incident I’ve called traffic and cautioned WT to anybody following a super on the arrival, even if it’s something silly like 25-30 miles behind. Also I generally try to keep targets from merging with 1000’ with the Super on top and I’ll call the traffic still,pilots seem to appreciate it in general.
 
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