I have had three wake 'hits' from 757's in the last twenty years. I suppose I have eventually learned from experience; but they were in progressively larger aircraft, the last in an A300 which (when I wear my specs) seems quite a bit bigger than than the culprit.
I do want two minutes behind a departing 757, and a minimum of four miles (preferably five) when following on approach.
This thread obviously started with Stansted, where a few weeks back, as I took off, I heard a Thomson 757 query why he was behind me, seeing he was at the holding point (R) before me (at S). The controller replied to the effect that Ryanair guys like a gap when behind 757's and there was a brief conflab about whether medium or heavy etc.
Well, I don't know about different ATC regs (re: 757 wake) in Germany, UK, France or elsewhere. but it seems rather obvious common sense to make clear one's wishes before the ATC man commits to a particular course of action and maybe baulkes someone else by default.
The SOP in my particular LoCo does say that you should not accept line-up unless you are ready - else check first if it is still ok. If I want a 2 Min wake delay then clearly I am not ready, and I should say so or expect, not unreasonably, some unparliamentary language.
The first wake experience I had ,about 20 years ago, was in a Dash 7 (not 8) about four miles behind a BA 757 on finals to LHR. We used to reckon that the sixteen big paddle prop blades chopped up vortices rather well, and were surprised when it got bumpy. We were well surprised when the wing dropped forty degrees plus at 1100 feet. In fact so surprised we didn't even swear.
Despite that I still think propellors deal with vortices better than jets. Conditions permitting, in a prop, it is possible to to fly a 4 degree slope and escape the problem. Controversial stuff or what.
Just as an aside, and a contribution to thread creep, the only problem I have with approaching Stansted is that the first or second London freq may give you a speed to fly (say 300 kts) which then surprises a subsequent controller who asks you to reduce pronto. Well, I have noticed in the last few weeks that the handing-over controller says 'Call xyz and tell them your speed. It seems the problem has been recognised and is being addressed. It's good here isn't it.
Regards all.