Wake turbulence avoidance and ATC

On Thu, 18 Dec 2003 11:01:37 -0500, Peter R.
wrote:

A couple of days ago I flew into Logan Airport (Boston, MA, USA) in a C172
for an Angel Flight. Taxing to the departing runway, we were behind a B767
and a DC9 (in that order), with several other large airliners behind us.

I noticed that there seemed to be no wake turbulence delay for the DC9
behind the B767, as he was cleared for TO less than a minute after the B767
departed.

Tower then positioned me on the runway, and again, less than a minute later
(after awaiting a crossing runway landing), gave me a 90 degree right turn
after takeoff heading, cautioned wake turbulence, then cleared me to go.

My question has to do with the ATC's wake turbulence procedures. At the
class C airport where I am based, I constantly hear about the 3 minute rule
from ATC. In other words, if I am departing from an intersection mid-
field, tower will say that they are required to make me wait three minutes
for wake turbulence avoidance (unless I wave it, which I normally do not).

In the case of Boston's tower, did her "wake turbulence caution" and/or
right turn heading allow her to clear me sooner than the three minutes?

BTW, the DC9 ahead of me took at least three quarters of the runway to lift
off, then turned left. When I departed, I dropped a notch of flaps to
lift off very quickly, climbed a few hundred at Vx as per the obstacle DP,
then turned the 90 degrees right as per the instruction to be well away
from the previous two aircrafts' wake turbulence.

On the times I've been to BOS, it seems routine for tower to vector small
a/c on a different heading than the large a/c. When I've been in that
position, and visualizing the wake, I've never had a question that I would
be able to avoid the preceding a/c's wake by making my turn out as
directed.

If I had, I would have requested to delay my departure.


Ron (EPM) (N5843Q, Mooney M20E) (CP, ASEL, ASES, IA)