Narrative:

Climbing through 8500 ft MSL we encountered the wake of another aircraft. It was a moderate 'jolt' with no roll tendency. We could see another aircraft at 12 O'clock and at least 15 NM. (We thought remembering the same airplane departing lga the same time we did as an md-80.) I asked the departure controller (120.4) what the traffic at 12 O'clock was. He replied, 'you have no traffic at 12 O'clock.' I informed him we had just gone through his wake and we'd like to know what it is and its flight path so we could possibly use some evasive action. He did not reply. We switched frequencys to ZNY (124.95) and at XA40 am, 55 east of etx and climbing through 15000 ft MSL we encountered another wake turbulence encounter, this time much milder. We observed the airplane to be at least 25 NM in front of us. Considerations: 1) we were surprised to encounter another aircraft's wake so far away. 2) we were disappointed when the controller did nothing when we asked about the traffic. Even after I asked him about traffic at 12 O'clock and about 15 NM. We estimated the MD80 to be about 2000 ft above us. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter participated in the wake turbulence incident callback questionnaire. His primary concern is the fact that wake turbulence was felt by the flight crew even when the preceding aircraft was 15 mi ahead. Even when the preceding aircraft was 25 mi ahead, reporter's aircraft still felt a jolt. Reporter submitted report mainly because the wake from the aircraft in front of them was very strong, something he did not anticipate. Reporter felt ATC does not do a good job of informing aircraft what type of aircraft they are following. In the same situation reporter would query ATC to always be informed of aircraft type and heading of aircraft he is following.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WAKE TURB ENCOUNTER.

Narrative: CLBING THROUGH 8500 FT MSL WE ENCOUNTERED THE WAKE OF ANOTHER ACFT. IT WAS A MODERATE 'JOLT' WITH NO ROLL TENDENCY. WE COULD SEE ANOTHER ACFT AT 12 O'CLOCK AND AT LEAST 15 NM. (WE THOUGHT REMEMBERING THE SAME AIRPLANE DEPARTING LGA THE SAME TIME WE DID AS AN MD-80.) I ASKED THE DEP CTLR (120.4) WHAT THE TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK WAS. HE REPLIED, 'YOU HAVE NO TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK.' I INFORMED HIM WE HAD JUST GONE THROUGH HIS WAKE AND WE'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT IT IS AND ITS FLT PATH SO WE COULD POSSIBLY USE SOME EVASIVE ACTION. HE DID NOT REPLY. WE SWITCHED FREQS TO ZNY (124.95) AND AT XA40 AM, 55 E OF ETX AND CLBING THROUGH 15000 FT MSL WE ENCOUNTERED ANOTHER WAKE TURB ENCOUNTER, THIS TIME MUCH MILDER. WE OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE TO BE AT LEAST 25 NM IN FRONT OF US. CONSIDERATIONS: 1) WE WERE SURPRISED TO ENCOUNTER ANOTHER ACFT'S WAKE SO FAR AWAY. 2) WE WERE DISAPPOINTED WHEN THE CTLR DID NOTHING WHEN WE ASKED ABOUT THE TFC. EVEN AFTER I ASKED HIM ABOUT TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK AND ABOUT 15 NM. WE ESTIMATED THE MD80 TO BE ABOUT 2000 FT ABOVE US. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR PARTICIPATED IN THE WAKE TURB INCIDENT CALLBACK QUESTIONNAIRE. HIS PRIMARY CONCERN IS THE FACT THAT WAKE TURB WAS FELT BY THE FLC EVEN WHEN THE PRECEDING ACFT WAS 15 MI AHEAD. EVEN WHEN THE PRECEDING ACFT WAS 25 MI AHEAD, RPTR'S ACFT STILL FELT A JOLT. RPTR SUBMITTED RPT MAINLY BECAUSE THE WAKE FROM THE ACFT IN FRONT OF THEM WAS VERY STRONG, SOMETHING HE DID NOT ANTICIPATE. RPTR FELT ATC DOES NOT DO A GOOD JOB OF INFORMING ACFT WHAT TYPE OF ACFT THEY ARE FOLLOWING. IN THE SAME SIT RPTR WOULD QUERY ATC TO ALWAYS BE INFORMED OF ACFT TYPE AND HDG OF ACFT HE IS FOLLOWING.

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.