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Cheechako · April 14th, 2005, 22:40

One early morning coming into SFO we were vectored onto the ILS 7 miles behind a Air China Cargo 747-400. I thought sure we were far enough behind to avoid the wake. Nope. Just as we caught the localizer the airplane violently rolled into a 45-degree left bank. It kicked the autopilot off and my First Officer had full opposite aileron deflection to recover. We got everything back under control and flew the ILS to Cat II minimums!

Sometimes you can feel it coming. I call it the "nibble, nibble, roll." But that one above hit us without warning.

Our sim training includes "roll upset recovery." We simulate wake turbulence that usually rolls us inverted in a snap. Push forward and ease the airplane back right-side-up. The difference there is that we usually know when it's coming...

April 14th, 2005, 22:40	#16
Cheechako Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Wasilla, AK Posts: 996	Re: Wake Turbulence One early morning coming into SFO we were vectored onto the ILS 7 miles behind a Air China Cargo 747-400. I thought sure we were far enough behind to avoid the wake. Nope. Just as we caught the localizer the airplane violently rolled into a 45-degree left bank. It kicked the autopilot off and my First Officer had full opposite aileron deflection to recover. We got everything back under control and flew the ILS to Cat II minimums! Sometimes you can feel it coming. I call it the "nibble, nibble, roll." But that one above hit us without warning. Our sim training includes "roll upset recovery." We simulate wake turbulence that usually rolls us inverted in a snap. Push forward and ease the airplane back right-side-up. The difference there is that we usually know when it's coming...