Regional Jet 200 ER/LR (CRJ200)
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Deviation - Speed All Types; Inflight Event / Encounter Wake Vortex Encounter
Flight Crew Regained Aircraft Control
Environment - Non Weather Related; Procedure
Our flight was cleared to take off behind an MD-80 on [Runway] 8R in ATL. At around 200 FT AGL we encountered extremely strong wake turbulence. I; the pilot flying; maintained airspeed and kept the aircraft from rolling left with a good amount of right aileron input. I heard the stall [warning] notification go off for a fraction of a second. During this time the aircraft was still at VRef+15. The Captain who was the pilot not flying stated after the fact that he felt the stick shaker and saw the red stall warning light come on for less than a second while the aircraft was at Vref+15. I don't believe that the stall warning light or stick shaker activated on my side of the aircraft; but I may have missed it due to all my attention being focused on our airspeed and aircraft attitude. The rest of the flight was uneventful. The main threat in this situation is ATC clearing us to takeoff before the MD-80 has rotated. To add to that threat we were heavy that day; and like many days our CRJ-200's take up a lot of runway and rotate after previous heavier aircraft causing us to climb through their wake turbulence. The new separation minimums between takeoffs in Atlanta needs to be altered. The company needs to present these issues to local ATC to prevent a major accident in the future.
We were cleared for takeoff on Runway 8R while the preceding aircraft was still on its takeoff roll; about 1/2-3/4 down the runway. I believe the preceding aircraft was an MD-80. We rotated and lifted off past what I believe to be the MD-80's rotation and lift off point. Almost immediately after takeoff; roughly around 200 FT AGL; we experienced wake turbulence that rolled the aircraft to the left. The First Officer; as pilot flying; attempted to roll the aircraft back to level with some success and then the aircraft rolled to the left again at which point we received a stick shaker; stall warning and stall warbler sound but no stick pusher. The First Officer was attempting to roll the aircraft back to the right; which he was eventually able to do. During the stall warning; I never noticed the red and black checker board come anywhere near our IAS nor did the First Officer ever make any kind of drastic pitch changes; let alone any at all that I remember. The stall warning only lasted maybe a second or two. After the event; the First Officer stated that he never felt the stick shaker nor saw the stall warning light illuminate on his side. I know for a fact that I felt and heard the stick shaker activate on my side as well as I distinctly remember seeing the red stall warning light illuminate on the glare shield on my side. The entire 'stall sequence' only lasted about 2 seconds and we recovered to normal flight.One of the threats that occurred in this event; and has been occurring during the past year or two; is Atlanta's ATC clearing aircraft for takeoff while the preceding aircraft is still on its takeoff roll and only half way down the runway. Since the start of this procedure; I personally experience wake turbulence during just about every takeoff/climb-out; under these conditions. While I have never gotten any stall warning until this event; we do usually get rocked back and forth pretty good in the wake turbulence; and it's usually 500 FT AGL and below; thus low altitude and low airspeed being another threat. [Our] CRJ-200 normal takeoff flap setting of 8 degrees is another threat. Our 8 degree flap takeoffs require us to have higher takeoff speeds and thus longer takeoff distances; and that puts us past the rotation and takeoff point of most other aircraft and thus under their takeoff and climb out path and directly in their wake turbulence. Another threat; that didn't happen in this event but could happen in the next one like this; is the possibility of the stick pusher activating at such a low altitude. At 200 FT; I don't believe a flight crew would have the time to recognize a possible inadvertent stick pusher from an over aggressive Stall Protection System in a wake turbulence encounter; and have time to properly recognize the situation and react to it in time. Even if it's not an inadvertent stick pusher; and the stall protection system believes the aircraft is in a stall for that short second or two while in the wake turbulence; getting a stick pusher at 200 FT is not going to help matters; and may possibly even [exacerbate] the problem if the flight crew reacts forcefully or hastily. The company could make all normal takeoffs a flaps 20 takeoff; or at least have it required at the Atlanta airport where ATC is utilizing this reduced separation for takeoffs. This would allow for slower takeoff speeds and thus shorter takeoff distances. The company could also ask the ATL ATC or the FAA to do away with this reduced take separation to allow for reduced wake turbulence encounters and lessening the likelihood of another possible aircraft upset; or worse; a stall condition to which next time it may not be recoverable; especially if the stick pusher activates at such a low altitude.The company could look into the pros and cons and procedures of having the stick pusher inhibited below a certain altitude where it may be more of a danger rather than a safety feature; with the Stall Protection System onthis aircraft.
CRJ-200 flight crew reported encountering wake turbulence shortly after takeoff in ATL. Flight crew was critical of the new ATL ATC reduced separation procedures.