What would you do?

WingsWaterAndWheels wrote:

This way I’m higher than the wake turbulence (if I’m not mistaking they go down and in the wind).

But at low level they can bounce back up :(

Regarding 3, I’d also continue straight (unless the turn was a high speed exit – taxiway almost alighted with runway) and brake hard just avoiding the skid.

Also remember, if running off the end seems likely, in addition to braking, pull the mixture to cut off. The reduction from idle thrust might just be the little bit you need, and it will also minimise damage if you do go off into the gravel.

1. I would have never talked to London Info to start with. It is not a valuable service, unless you plan to ditch or something and then 121.50 is better. Talk to Solent or Bournemouth and then change straight to Jersey Zone regardless of whether the other two give you a handover.

2. I would wait the full 3 minutes and if possible pick a different trajectory.

3. I would just land and then see what the damage was. A TB20, assuming it is still flying, will not be affected by a bird strike unless it goes through the window and hits the pilot.

I read somewhere that search and rescue is based at Lydd and in an emergency it’s quicker to call Lydd approach direct on 120.705 to get things moving.

I always have this frequently in standby crossing the channel.

Cannot comment on # 1 and # 3, but wrt # 2, wake turbulence: it’s a regular occurrence where I fly and I simply fly above the path of the preceding jet and land beyond its touchdown point. Waiting the full three minutes isn’t an option around here. I am much more worried about a wake drifting into my path from a parallel runway, a situation I had on a couple of occasions. Not pleasant.

1 It happens to me routinely to loose contact with an information service.Including in the information service is usually the alert service, meaning that if you don’t answer they should start the incerfa procedure, which is to go looking for you. So I tell the next frequency that I couldn’t close the communication properly with the previous service, and they call the previous service on the phone to tell them that I’m not in distress.
3 The propeller with the engine idling slows you don’t to a certain speed. Beyond that speed cut off the engine. It will help you to stop and will minimize the damage in case you hit something (or someone)

I get approaches as nr 2 own separation behind B737s quite often at ESMS. What I do is delay my final turn as much as possible, and when I do I stay as high as possible, to be above the glide path of the 737. With 2800m runway I can stay at 1300’ GND until the threshold and then I start my descend. This also ensures that I touchdown much further in the runway than the 737.

If Guernsey follows UK procedures exactly for the wake turbulence, the ATCO should have advised ‘Caution wake Turbulence, the recommended distance is 4 miles’, based on an ATR-72. It is only a recommendation for VFR traffic, and 4 miles should be a lot less than 3 minutes. At busier airports, significantly more than 4 miles could result in you being held off on base leg, as you would potentially be caught up by the next speedier arrival.
As others have said, flying above the flight path of the ATR is an option until you have the 4 miles. Until the nosewheel of the preceding aircraft is also on the ground (not just touched-down), then wake-turbulence is still taken to be being generated.

For London Info, I strongly back up what Peter says. I operate from a grass strip and NEED London info to open my flight plan, nothing is more annoying than it being clogged up with pointless basic service aircraft. I open flight plan and immediately leave.

(Tongue in cheek) If you feel anxious without being on a frequency then talk to Farnborough, Solent, Lydd, whoever takes your fancy, or you could try tuning in 121.5. Also; some people aren’t aware that if you turn the radio off, the aircraft will keep flying. :-)