B737-800 flight crew reported encountering wake turbulence in trail of an MD80 on approach to atl.

Attributes
ACN	1484464
Time
Date	201709
Local Time Of Day	1801-2400
Place
Locale Reference	ATL.Airport
State Reference	GA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	B737-800
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Initial Approach
Route In Use	Visual Approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Initial Approach
Route In Use	Visual Approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Captain Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 180 Flight Crew Type 18400
Person 2
Function	Pilot Not Flying First Officer
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 200
Events
Anomaly	Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Deviation - Speed All Types Inflight Event / Encounter Wake Vortex Encounter

Narrative:

We were assigned 210 speed 2.5 miles behind a md-80 cleared for a visual approach in atl. We got a wake turbulence event; recovered and continued. ATC asked our speed. We said 185; but did not report wake turbulence because of busy radios. We landed as preceding aircraft was clearing the runway. On a visual approach we accept separation and wake turbulence responsibility; and I am aware of flying assigned speeds to help their reduced separation. I found that reporting wake turbulence to ATC is required at a recat airport. I recommend that three miles be minimum spacing and that atl should use their south runway more to handle their traffic load.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-800 flight crew reported encountering wake turbulence in trail of an MD80 on approach to ATL.

Narrative: We were assigned 210 speed 2.5 miles behind a MD-80 cleared for a visual approach in ATL. We got a wake turbulence event; recovered and continued. ATC asked our speed. We said 185; but did not report wake turbulence because of busy radios. We landed as preceding aircraft was clearing the runway. On a visual approach we accept separation and wake turbulence responsibility; and I am aware of flying assigned speeds to help their reduced separation. I found that reporting wake turbulence to ATC is required at a RECAT airport. I recommend that three miles be minimum spacing and that ATL should use their south runway more to handle their traffic load.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.