B767-300 and 300 ER
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 3.8
Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Ground Conflict; Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Inflight Event / Encounter Wake Vortex Encounter
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach
Human Factors; Aircraft; Procedure
Landing and departing Runway 9. Aircraft X a B763 was instructed to line up and wait on Runway 9 and issued traffic of Aircraft Y a B739 on a 4 mile final. Aircraft Y was issued traffic a heavy Boeing 767 departing prior to his arrival and caution wake turbulence. As soon as the previous departure had lifted off of the runway Aircraft X was cleared for takeoff and assigned runway heading. Aircraft X was again issued traffic now on a 2.5 mile final. Aircraft X did not begin take off roll in a quick manner and was starting rotation as Aircraft Y crossed the landing threshold. Aircraft Y appeared to get some wake turbulence and lifted back up from approx. 200 AGL and stated he was going around. I immediately issued a turn 20 degrees to the right and a climb to 2;000 feet to get Aircraft Y out of the wake and coordinated verbally with local West to stay on a 110 degree heading until proper IFR separation behind a heavy jet allowed me to turn North. Aircraft Y was then issued a turn to 360 degrees and a climb to 3;000 feet and handed off to the next controller to be re-vectored back to final. Discussed the operation with the supervisor. Each aircrew is different and not all air crews can make a 2.5 mile departure window. I will no longer line up and wait any [company name removed] heavy jets with traffic on less than a 5 mile final.
IAH Tower Controller reported of an aircraft going around due to wake from the preceding departure. Controller turned go-around traffic to avoid more of the wake. Controller realized that there should have been a larger hole to depart the heavy.