Regional Jet 900 (CRJ900)
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness
Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Wake Vortex Encounter
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Procedure; Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors
During our approach into JFK we were being vectored behind an A380 approx. 7 miles ahead of us...we encountered a sudden and abrupt wake turbulence event which rocked our aircraft pretty good...we told ATC what happened and asked for extended vectors...approach control sounded irritated about our report of wake turbulence and told us to let him know when we were ready to turn to intercept the approach course to VOR GPS 13R into JFK....after receiving a heading to join the inbound course and cleared for the approach we proceeded to join....we were told by approach control we were showing about a half mile off course when our instruments showed we were on course.....we were told to maintain 3;000 feet and contact tower.....looking at the FMS I noticed ASALT fix was behind us and started to descend to 1;500 feet to cross CRI.....after handed off to JFK tower the controller said that approach controller wanted to know why we started our descent early...we noticed we had deviated by about 300 feet below the assigned 3;000 feet....... we stopped the descent and crossed ASALT at approx. 2;700 feet and continued the approach on profile......the wake turbulence and the query of ATC about our course offset had the crew frustrated and the attitude of the approach controller was somewhat irritated in nature causing us to deviate briefly in altitude during the approach........the approach was completed normally as expected.I believe that after experiencing this type of wake turbulence that ATC should review the guidelines regarding separation of aircraft behind heavy airframes generating wake turbulence....especially with regards to an A380........and also ATC should be more understanding of situations that flight crews are reporting instead of displaying a defensive attitude.
I think there needs to be more awareness about the Super A380 to better prepare pilots and controllers to avoid the wake turbulence. This event was started with the wake turbulence that led into other minor mishaps on the approach. I think this is where the problem is.
A CRJ-900 flight crew reported encountering 'sudden and abrupt' wake turbulence in trail of a Super A380 on approach to JFK that led to track and altitude deviations. The flight crew stated they sensed some irritation on the part of ATC when they asked for more spacing.