Scudrunners

Luckily there was nothing to hit....




Very slow rotation to less than the specified target pitch. The aircraft barely gets airborne because the pitch attitude is too low.
Normal pitch target is 12.5 degrees on take-off - lift off occurs at around 10 degrees which looks like the max pitch attitude reached.
A340 is underpowered so you need to fly correct pitch.
On a hot day with a heavy aircraft initial rate of climb is 1200'/min and I've gotten 75' off the end of an 11000' runway. When I rotated the centreline lights were red. Not unusual to see.

My record is 49 minutes to 30000 using 100-200'/min rate of climb for the last 2000'. I always tell the controller 'unable' when they give me climb restrictions

Do you like flying the 340?

Do you have tail strike considerations?


On the 321 It's 9.7* compressed.  Many, many times new FO's  (and maybe a new Captain...) under rotate due to the psychological potential for a tail strike.  (we have had 2 in the last 2 years, and a 1 about 5 years ago).


I want to say a pitch rate of 2-2.5* per second will keep you away from any sort of trouble.




The 320 is 11.7* and 319 is 13.9* compressed.


Also, the 321 I'm almost always climb restricted leaving the West coast going East any place across the Rockies. Any altitude above 3-0-0, is 500 fpm at best...

I have a friend who used to fly the A340-600.  He told me a tail strike is quite easy.  Also said the ailerons were way too small. 


He now flys the A380 and says it's a pussycat and handles like an A320

[quote author=Chuck Ellsworth link=topic=9060.msg24794#msg24794 date=1537498709]
Do you like flying the 340?
[/quote]
Yes - I love the aircraft!
Quiet and comfortable with lots of redundancy. It's an extremely capable aircraft and one of the few types that hasn't had a fatal hull loss.

There's no issue with tailstrikes - 10.1* with the struts compressed and 14.2* with the struts extended.

That birds sitting in YYC, been here a few times this years. heard its some private type flights only 50 people on board.

[quote author=ScudRunner link=topic=9060.msg24835#msg24835 date=1537675693]
That birds sitting in YYC, been here a few times this years. heard its some private type flights only 50 people on board.
[/quote]
I used to fly this aircraft in its previous life as an Airliner.
We're operating its sister ship at my present Airline.
Lease rates are dirt cheap on these aircraft which will offset the fuel burn - my Airline has no trouble finding work for the A340 fleet.

How would it compare to the A330 in operating costs, is it really that much more? Or is more of a niche aircraft vs the A330 being more versatile.
I recall Canada 3000 back in the day getting one just before they went tits up for flights to India, thought why not the A330 on those runs.




[img width=500 height=352]https://cdn.jetphotos.com/full/1/34859_1130229703.jpg[/img]




[img width=500 height=333]http://www.airport-data.com/images/airc ... 071174.jpg[/img]

[quote author=ScudRunner link=topic=9060.msg24849#msg24849 date=1537803678]
How would it compare to the A330 in operating costs, is it really that much more? Or is more of a niche aircraft vs the A330 being more versatile.
I recall Canada 3000 back in the day getting one just before they went tits up for flights to India, thought why not the A330 on those runs. [/quote]
Burn is around 1200kg/hr more. Your costs would depend on how the lease is set up. Rough estimate is $500,000/mo less to lease an A340. That buys a lot of fuel.

Older A330 have 230T MTOW A340 is 275T which works out to 35T more useable payload. About 60 more seats as well.

After 10 hours you start running into payload/range issues with the A330. That's when the A340 comes into its own - C3000 India flights couldn't be done with an A330. I regularly fly a 5300nm sector with the A340.

If you're operating in remote regions (like my company) A340 has 3 engine ferry capability while the A330 is stuck on the ground.
I personally find the A340 to have a better ride in turbulence due to the higher wing loading. A330 is a very capable aircraft and I enjoyed flying it but my personal preference is the A340 over the A330.

Any chance the takeoff was attempted with insufficient thrust (incorrect reduction) or an incorrect CG/stab trim setting?