Narrative:

While being vectored for the ILS 4R, behind a B757, we encountered its wake turbulence. This caused a strong rolling moment to the right. Full left aileron arrested the roll at approximately 30-40 degree bank as we climbed out of the wake. 4 days a week, 52 weeks a yr, we fly into bos. The majority of the time we are following a B757, B767, dc-8, etc. Every time ATC issues a wake turbulence advisory. This advisory (given several times) uses up valuable communication time and does not increase safety, especially in IMC! This advisory is not a solution to a dangerous problem. As pilots, how are we supposed to avoid wake turbulence while being vectored for an approach in IMC? ATC and the FAA need to be made aware that the wake turbulence advisory is not a solution to the problem. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter thinks that the advisory program is doing little more than causing frequency congestion. What we should be doing, he says, is routinely spacing lighter aircraft at least 5 NM behind the hvys on approach and staggering the pattern altitudes, with the hvys lower. In this encounter the flight crew had full lock on the ailerons and the aircraft still rolled right 30-40 degrees. He said that the 10 degree pitch-up helped them to recover.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT ENCOUNTERS WAKE TURB CAUSING UNCTLED ROLL OF 30-40 DEGS BEFORE EXITING THE ADVERSE ENVIRONMENT AND REGAINING CTL. THE RPTR QUESTIONS THE MERIT OF REPEATEDLY TELLING THE PLT CAUTION WAKE TURB WHILE BEING VECTORED IN IMC.

Narrative: WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR THE ILS 4R, BEHIND A B757, WE ENCOUNTERED ITS WAKE TURB. THIS CAUSED A STRONG ROLLING MOMENT TO THE R. FULL L AILERON ARRESTED THE ROLL AT APPROX 30-40 DEG BANK AS WE CLBED OUT OF THE WAKE. 4 DAYS A WK, 52 WKS A YR, WE FLY INTO BOS. THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME WE ARE FOLLOWING A B757, B767, DC-8, ETC. EVERY TIME ATC ISSUES A WAKE TURB ADVISORY. THIS ADVISORY (GIVEN SEVERAL TIMES) USES UP VALUABLE COM TIME AND DOES NOT INCREASE SAFETY, ESPECIALLY IN IMC! THIS ADVISORY IS NOT A SOLUTION TO A DANGEROUS PROB. AS PLTS, HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO AVOID WAKE TURB WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR AN APCH IN IMC? ATC AND THE FAA NEED TO BE MADE AWARE THAT THE WAKE TURB ADVISORY IS NOT A SOLUTION TO THE PROB. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR THINKS THAT THE ADVISORY PROGRAM IS DOING LITTLE MORE THAN CAUSING FREQ CONGESTION. WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING, HE SAYS, IS ROUTINELY SPACING LIGHTER ACFT AT LEAST 5 NM BEHIND THE HVYS ON APCH AND STAGGERING THE PATTERN ALTS, WITH THE HVYS LOWER. IN THIS ENCOUNTER THE FLC HAD FULL LOCK ON THE AILERONS AND THE ACFT STILL ROLLED R 30-40 DEGS. HE SAID THAT THE 10 DEG PITCH-UP HELPED THEM TO RECOVER.

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.