Rocked by wake of 757 mid-air

[cardelo]

I flew Flight 5324 from BHM to ATL on 5/28/2011, 7:45 AM scheduled flight. (Yes, same day a different DL flight had fire issue in ATL later that day.) While at least 20 minutes outside ATL, the plane was rocked by turbulence.

The plane rocked hard right - enough to lose items off the tray tables, then down/up, then back left. The turbulence lasted about 5 seconds. After landing, I inquired what happened. I've flown for 30+ years and that was odd turbulence to me.

I was told by a pilot (not sure which pilot) that we were in the wake of a 757. That made me more concerned as to how we were so close to a 757 that high and far from the airport.

I'm not a pilot and don't know if the pilot's answer was plausible.

Any ideas?

 

[tech2101]

I flew Flight 5324 from BHM to ATL on 5/28/2011, 7:45 AM scheduled flight. (Yes, same day a different DL flight had fire issue in ATL later that day.) While at least 20 minutes outside ATL, the plane was rocked by turbulence.

The plane rocked hard right - enough to lose items off the tray tables, then down/up, then back left. The turbulence lasted about 5 seconds. After landing, I inquired what happened. I've flown for 30+ years and that was odd turbulence to me.

I was told by a pilot (not sure which pilot) that we were in the wake of a 757. That made me more concerned as to how we were so close to a 757 that high and far from the airport.

I'm not a pilot and don't know if the pilot's answer was plausible.

Any ideas?

Try here.

Wake turbulence

 

[metopower]

I flew Flight 5324 from BHM to ATL on 5/28/2011, 7:45 AM scheduled flight. (Yes, same day a different DL flight had fire issue in ATL later that day.) While at least 20 minutes outside ATL, the plane was rocked by turbulence.

The plane rocked hard right - enough to lose items off the tray tables, then down/up, then back left. The turbulence lasted about 5 seconds. After landing, I inquired what happened. I've flown for 30+ years and that was odd turbulence to me.

I was told by a pilot (not sure which pilot) that we were in the wake of a 757. That made me more concerned as to how we were so close to a 757 that high and far from the airport.

I'm not a pilot and don't know if the pilot's answer was plausible.

Any ideas?

absolutely .Staying miles behind crossing aircraft is not always the answer. Winds aloft can come into play and wakes tend to decsend . So It could be caused be an aircraft passing in another direction not just in front.