NEW WAKE-VORTEX approach-separation standards imposed by the US Federal Aviation Administration fail to consider general aviation (GA), says the US Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA).
The GA group joins the US Air Transport Association and the Regional Airline Association in criticising the aviation agency's rule changes which increase separation for aircraft following the Boeing 757 and reclassifies 57 aircraft types (Flight International, 28 August-3 September).
With the rule change, medium-size business jets, such as the Cessna Citation X, and 50-seat regional aircraft such as the AI(R) ATR 42, are considered "small" for air-traffic-control purposes.
AOPA says that "-a three-mile separation between a light aircraft and a medium-size business jet is not sufficient to avoid a potential wake-turbulence encounter".
Source: Flight International
