Anyone ever fly through a helicopter's wake? I did the other day, turning base to short final. A CalStar had departed midfield and for some reason he decided to fly right up the approach corridor outbound. I was on downwind. I waited for him to clear, then turned base. As I was turning final there was an audible whistle and the wings banked up to near vertical. I had exactly two thoughts: we sure are low and I may have to keep rolling rather than level the wings. Then whatever grabbed me let go. There was a second grab an instant later, weaker than the first. By then I was over the numbers and flaring. This all happened at about 2-300 feet (I wasn't looking at the altimeter).
Sound familiar?
Robin

Robin,

I trained on a military airfield with a control tower.

When I was a primary student a controller trainee vectored me through a large helicopter's wake. I was on my second solo. I went close to 90° L/R. My instructor was on the ground watching and listening (He was also a senior controller, and it was his trainee.). He chewed some butt that day! I was scared, and lucky.

Several years ago flying into Amarillo, where the V-22 Osprey is built, I was vectored in about 1/2 mile behind an Osprey. I was on final, and he had flown a higher pattern. All hell let loose, heavy pitch up, then down followed by near 90 degree rolls left and right. Carol and I did ok, but scared the devil out of my passengers, both also pilots. The things fly at about 50,000 pounds gross and the downwash from the two rotors is significant. I do not want to ever do it again.

They come into Pueblo fairly often, and occasionally will lift off from the ramp. On one occasion, they flipped over a Stinson that was parked nearby.

Torry

As a helicopter pilot I know what mass of air a helicopter moves. If they are slow and heavy and not in transational lift the volume of air moved is huge.

It's best to give them a bit of room and be aware of the wash.

They sure don't like to fly into their own wake.