Air Rage

General Procedures for Avoiding Wake Turbulence

Always comply with ATC separation assignments to take full advantage of wake turbulence precautions built into the ATC system. When operating in a terminal area, pay attention to the flight paths of aircraft around you. Avoid flying in areas where wake turbulence might be expected, such as behind and below heavier aircraft. Always keep in mind the effect of wind on wing tip vortices, especially when operating from airports with closely spaced parallel or intersecting runways. Listen to wind reports from the tower, and keep an eye on the wind sock!

Finally, remember that while ATC often provides separation for purposes of wake turbulence protection, the pilot (as always) is ultimately responsible. Ask for special handling when you’re concerned about potential wake turbulence. For instance, let’s say you’re departing in a heavily loaded turboprop behind a large jet. It may be clear that you can lift off well before the jet’s rotation point to avoid its wake. But the jet can outclimb you, and given the same course, you could fly into its wake. “Tower, Jetstream 3456Z requests an immediate right turn after takeoff for wake turbulence avoidance.” You’ll get it, or at worst the tower will offer you the option to wait.

Most turbine pilots operate in environments where their wake turbulence knowledge and judgment is tested daily. Remember to visualize the wing tip vortices of the aircraft around you and to alter your flight path accordingly.

Unfortunately in these days of full flights and crowded airport terminals, long check-in lines and flight delays have become all too common. As a result, some emotionally unstable passengers, fed up with the whole travel process, misbehave to a point where they become a threat to air safety.

Air rage incidents are on the rise and occur at a variety of levels. The most common cases involve passengers being verbally abusive to flight attendants or other passengers, with extreme cases involving totally out-of-control passengers breaking down cockpit doors and attempting to wrest control of the airplane away from the pilots.

According to a recent NASA study of passenger misconduct and effects on flight crews, passenger disruptions may cause pilots to make serious errors such as altitude deviations, airspeed and navigational errors, and runway incursions. In almost half of air rage cases serious enough to warrant cockpit attention, flight crews experienced some level of distraction from flying duties, with half of those distractions leading to pilot deviations.

Given this alarming situation, it’s no wonder that flight departments are increasingly training their pilots in methods to prevent passenger distractions from interfering with flight duties. Some airlines even simulate disruptive passenger situations during recurrent pilot simulator training. Clearly, air rage has become a serious threat to aviation safety, and pilots must be especially careful during such incidents to avoid making serious cockpit errors, not to mention the challenges of dealing with the unruly passengers themselves.