Narrative:

At approximately XA30, we were descending into atlanta for a landing on runway 8L. I was the PF. We also had an FAA maintenance inspector on the flight deck for the flight. Speed was 250 KIAS and we were not configured. Aircraft had just been cleared from 6000 ft to 5000 ft. We were on a vector of 160 degree heading by atl approach. On TCAS we were approximately 3-4 mi in trail of the preceding aircraft. As we were approaching our altitude, maybe 300-400 ft above (about 4400 ft AGL), started getting the slight feel of wake turbulence. At about the exact same time, approach was issuing information to us that we were 5 mi in trail of a heavy B747 that was being vectored to runway 9R. Almost immediately, we encountered 2 very strong wake turbulence upsets requiring full aileron input for several seconds each. Considering the rate at which things happened, I think the first one was to the right and the second was to the left. Regardless of actual chronology of which direction, immediate and full stick deflection was required. Upon getting the first upset back to wings level, the second upset, again requiring full aileron deflection began in the opposite direction. Power was added to attempt to climb above the wake turbulence area. We gained about 200-300 ft to get out of the turbulence. I would estimate bank angles due to the upset were in the range of 45-60 degrees in each direction. After exiting the turbulence, the captain advised the controller we had experienced an 'upset.' I do not feel the controller understood the severity of the encounter, possibly due to the terminology used. Shortly thereafter, we were turned closer to the runway, either a 120 degree or 130 degree heading to intercept. The remainder of the approach was as per SOP and without incident to landing. I queried the captain as to making a logbook write-up and he declined. Captain was also informed this report would be filed. I would like to add that it is my firm conviction that a timely, smooth and successful recovery was due to the importance company has placed in its unusual attitude recovery training on every check ride. Since these maneuvers are trained to proficiency every 9 months, it provides a continual direction to effect a recovery in the shortest amount of time and altitude change.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A319 ENCOUNTERS WAKE TURB BEHIND B747 LNDG AT ATL.

Narrative: AT APPROX XA30, WE WERE DSNDING INTO ATLANTA FOR A LNDG ON RWY 8L. I WAS THE PF. WE ALSO HAD AN FAA MAINT INSPECTOR ON THE FLT DECK FOR THE FLT. SPD WAS 250 KIAS AND WE WERE NOT CONFIGURED. ACFT HAD JUST BEEN CLRED FROM 6000 FT TO 5000 FT. WE WERE ON A VECTOR OF 160 DEG HDG BY ATL APCH. ON TCAS WE WERE APPROX 3-4 MI IN TRAIL OF THE PRECEDING ACFT. AS WE WERE APCHING OUR ALT, MAYBE 300-400 FT ABOVE (ABOUT 4400 FT AGL), STARTED GETTING THE SLIGHT FEEL OF WAKE TURB. AT ABOUT THE EXACT SAME TIME, APCH WAS ISSUING INFO TO US THAT WE WERE 5 MI IN TRAIL OF A HVY B747 THAT WAS BEING VECTORED TO RWY 9R. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, WE ENCOUNTERED 2 VERY STRONG WAKE TURB UPSETS REQUIRING FULL AILERON INPUT FOR SEVERAL SECONDS EACH. CONSIDERING THE RATE AT WHICH THINGS HAPPENED, I THINK THE FIRST ONE WAS TO THE R AND THE SECOND WAS TO THE L. REGARDLESS OF ACTUAL CHRONOLOGY OF WHICH DIRECTION, IMMEDIATE AND FULL STICK DEFLECTION WAS REQUIRED. UPON GETTING THE FIRST UPSET BACK TO WINGS LEVEL, THE SECOND UPSET, AGAIN REQUIRING FULL AILERON DEFLECTION BEGAN IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. PWR WAS ADDED TO ATTEMPT TO CLB ABOVE THE WAKE TURB AREA. WE GAINED ABOUT 200-300 FT TO GET OUT OF THE TURB. I WOULD ESTIMATE BANK ANGLES DUE TO THE UPSET WERE IN THE RANGE OF 45-60 DEGS IN EACH DIRECTION. AFTER EXITING THE TURB, THE CAPT ADVISED THE CTLR WE HAD EXPERIENCED AN 'UPSET.' I DO NOT FEEL THE CTLR UNDERSTOOD THE SEVERITY OF THE ENCOUNTER, POSSIBLY DUE TO THE TERMINOLOGY USED. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, WE WERE TURNED CLOSER TO THE RWY, EITHER A 120 DEG OR 130 DEG HDG TO INTERCEPT. THE REMAINDER OF THE APCH WAS AS PER SOP AND WITHOUT INCIDENT TO LNDG. I QUERIED THE CAPT AS TO MAKING A LOGBOOK WRITE-UP AND HE DECLINED. CAPT WAS ALSO INFORMED THIS RPT WOULD BE FILED. I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT IT IS MY FIRM CONVICTION THAT A TIMELY, SMOOTH AND SUCCESSFUL RECOVERY WAS DUE TO THE IMPORTANCE COMPANY HAS PLACED IN ITS UNUSUAL ATTITUDE RECOVERY TRAINING ON EVERY CHK RIDE. SINCE THESE MANEUVERS ARE TRAINED TO PROFICIENCY EVERY 9 MONTHS, IT PROVIDES A CONTINUAL DIRECTION TO EFFECT A RECOVERY IN THE SHORTEST AMOUNT OF TIME AND ALT CHANGE.

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.