Narrative:

We were on the quiet bridge visual to 28R at sfo. Ahead of us was widebody transport air carrier reported as 6 mi ahead. Just prior to crossing the san mateo bridge we encountered wake turbulence. This resulted in a smooth roll to the right of about 45 degree. Control was then required. Just prior to the encounter ATC (bay) had called the heavy as 6 mi ahead. The wind at sfo was relatively calm. ATC had advised us 'caution wake turbulence'. To avoid possible turbulence, I was staying above (1 to 2 dots) the GS. As a 'little' airplane driver (although by definition I fly a 'large' aircraft) my concern is that there is very little I can do to avoid wake even if I know it should be present. While ATC cautions for wake turbulence they still constrain your flight path. Sure you can deviate but that requires their approval (sometimes hard to even ask for) or use of emergency authority. Flying an angled approach helps, but isn't always possible, and sometimes the proceeding heavy flew an angled approach. Flying above the GS helps, but often the heavy is above the GS also. This all results in a game of russian roulette to avoid the wake. Some solutions: educate the pilots of heavy jets as to the danger they pose to other aircraft. Encourage them to fly a predictable profile, so trailing aircraft have a reasonable idea of where the wake is. Educate ATC that 'caution wake turbulence' isn't sufficient. They need to make it not only possible to avoid, but practical as well. They should descend heavy jets early enough to they can stay on (not above the GS). Discourage ATC from descending a heavy onto the GS with a smaller aircraft established on the localizer behind the heavy at an altitude below the heavy (a favorite trick of bay approach).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER LTT ENCOUNTERED WAKE TURB FROM WDB ACR AHEAD ON VISUAL APCH.

Narrative: WE WERE ON THE QUIET BRIDGE VISUAL TO 28R AT SFO. AHEAD OF US WAS WDB ACR RPTED AS 6 MI AHEAD. JUST PRIOR TO XING THE SAN MATEO BRIDGE WE ENCOUNTERED WAKE TURB. THIS RESULTED IN A SMOOTH ROLL TO THE R OF ABOUT 45 DEG. CTL WAS THEN REQUIRED. JUST PRIOR TO THE ENCOUNTER ATC (BAY) HAD CALLED THE HVY AS 6 MI AHEAD. THE WIND AT SFO WAS RELATIVELY CALM. ATC HAD ADVISED US 'CAUTION WAKE TURB'. TO AVOID POSSIBLE TURB, I WAS STAYING ABOVE (1 TO 2 DOTS) THE GS. AS A 'LITTLE' AIRPLANE DRIVER (ALTHOUGH BY DEFINITION I FLY A 'LARGE' ACFT) MY CONCERN IS THAT THERE IS VERY LITTLE I CAN DO TO AVOID WAKE EVEN IF I KNOW IT SHOULD BE PRESENT. WHILE ATC CAUTIONS FOR WAKE TURB THEY STILL CONSTRAIN YOUR FLT PATH. SURE YOU CAN DEVIATE BUT THAT REQUIRES THEIR APPROVAL (SOMETIMES HARD TO EVEN ASK FOR) OR USE OF EMER AUTHORITY. FLYING AN ANGLED APCH HELPS, BUT ISN'T ALWAYS POSSIBLE, AND SOMETIMES THE PROCEEDING HVY FLEW AN ANGLED APCH. FLYING ABOVE THE GS HELPS, BUT OFTEN THE HVY IS ABOVE THE GS ALSO. THIS ALL RESULTS IN A GAME OF RUSSIAN ROULETTE TO AVOID THE WAKE. SOME SOLUTIONS: EDUCATE THE PLTS OF HVY JETS AS TO THE DANGER THEY POSE TO OTHER ACFT. ENCOURAGE THEM TO FLY A PREDICTABLE PROFILE, SO TRAILING ACFT HAVE A REASONABLE IDEA OF WHERE THE WAKE IS. EDUCATE ATC THAT 'CAUTION WAKE TURB' ISN'T SUFFICIENT. THEY NEED TO MAKE IT NOT ONLY POSSIBLE TO AVOID, BUT PRACTICAL AS WELL. THEY SHOULD DSND HVY JETS EARLY ENOUGH TO THEY CAN STAY ON (NOT ABOVE THE GS). DISCOURAGE ATC FROM DSNDING A HVY ONTO THE GS WITH A SMALLER ACFT ESTABLISHED ON THE LOC BEHIND THE HVY AT AN ALT BELOW THE HVY (A FAVORITE TRICK OF BAY APCH).

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.