CAT or Wake Turbulence?

[neoprema]

To the pilots, ex pilots, wannabe-pilots etc lol:

On a flight back home now, we were at 38000F in a 787. Lights off, most people sleeping as it was overnight. Nice hum of the cabin to sleep to.

Suddenly i was woken up by loud banging and realized we dropped almost like pushed down, tugged hard on the seat-belts, some peoples phones flew and pillows lifted off seats but everyone was buckled in - and in the same second suddenly thrown upwards hard again - this time being pushed into the seat heavily. and it was over. Maybe 10 seconds at most. You could hear the luggage in the overheads banging against the top and falling.

Some people were startled awake, and began talking etc but after that settled again.

So my question is, given how quick and sudden it was - was it Clear Air Turbulence? Or the Wake of another Aircraft we passed through? I've heard wake from another craft can cause a fast "hard-down-hard-hard-up" push like that. I thought CAT is more pronounced and lasts longer with multiple drops and recoveries.

It was also just literally a few seconds - smooth after that. until of course we flew over Malawi and then as usual it was bounce-bounce all the way to JHB Lol.

 

[DARoodt]

Clear air turbulence.
Look on YouTube for "Mentour Pilot" One of his most recent videos describes your experience to a tee

 

[Tomtomtom]

Wake turbulence is not really a thing at cruise because of ordinary separation afaik.

Sounds like wind shear specifically.

 

[neoprema]

Wake turbulence is not really a thing at cruise because of ordinary separation afaik.

Sounds like wind shear specifically.

True but i thought once the aircraft passes the altitude separation could still be same - or would they still not put two planes on the same altitude even if they're in crossing directions to eachother with time separating them.

 

[NarrowBandFtw]

To the pilots, ex pilots, wannabe-pilots etc lol:

On a flight back home now, we were at 38000F in a 787. Lights off, most people sleeping as it was overnight. Nice hum of the cabin to sleep to.

Suddenly i was woken up by loud banging and realized we dropped almost like pushed down, tugged hard on the seat-belts, some peoples phones flew and pillows lifted off seats but everyone was buckled in - and in the same second suddenly thrown upwards hard again - this time being pushed into the seat heavily. and it was over. Maybe 10 seconds at most. You could hear the luggage in the overheads banging against the top and falling.

Some people were startled awake, and began talking etc but after that settled again.

So my question is, given how quick and sudden it was - was it Clear Air Turbulence? Or the Wake of another Aircraft we passed through? I've heard wake from another craft can cause a fast "hard-down-hard-hard-up" push like that. I thought CAT is more pronounced and lasts longer with multiple drops and recoveries.

It was also just literally a few seconds - smooth after that. until of course we flew over Malawi and then as usual it was bounce-bounce all the way to JHB Lol.

it was a Boeing 787, 'nuff said

 

[Tomtomtom]

True but i thought once the aircraft passes the altitude separation could still be same - or would they still not put two planes on the same altitude even if they're in crossing directions to eachother with time separating them.

Easterly track aircraft are always at odd altitudes e.g. 37 000, 39 000 ft vs westerly track are at even altitudes e.g. 36 000, 38 000.

Edit: It is possible for aircraft to cross at the same altitude with time separation but unless you are in very congested airspace I don't think you ever really get close enough for wake turbulence to be an issue.

Also I'm just not sure wake turbulence is as significant in the context of 200-400 km/h jet streams colliding. It's a big deal on departure/approach when it can flip a small plane coming in at ~120 km/h.

 

[neoprema]

it was a Boeing 787, 'nuff said

lol that 787 is a machine, its my preferred plane even to an A350