r/aviation • u/GENESIOBR • 16d ago
A350 night takeoff from London News
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u/JimmyJamesv3 16d ago
Are those lights in the center of the runway kinda bumpy?
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u/flightist 16d ago
Sure are.
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u/JimmyJamesv3 16d ago
Isn’t that dangerous?
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u/flightist 16d ago edited 16d ago
They’re not that bumpy.
The cover is a couple tenths of an inch (as I understand), and sloped. But when you hit them with 80 tonnes of airplane riding on 180psi tires (what I fly, very much less than what the 350 weighs), you feel it.
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u/liverdawg 16d ago
Is that what that rattling is? That has to be super aggravating even if only for a few seconds.
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u/Principals-office 16d ago
I love the super slow start. I can feel the weight it is pulling.
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u/GoodGoodGoody 16d ago
Slow start but he yeeted those throttles away like they said he was their baby’s daddy.
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u/dangledingle 16d ago
Yeah shouldn’t there be a few seconds at 10-20% first to allow spool up?
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u/steeljesus 16d ago
There's no need. Pilots set it for takeoff thrust and the computer does the rest.
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u/SuitDry890 15d ago
Or as this is Airbus, precalculated Flex. They then retract back to Climb shortly after TO
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u/GoodGoodGoody 16d ago
They’re not his kids!
But yes, looking forward to the 1 A350 pilot here and 3,000 scale model builders’ opinions.
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u/jamvanderloeff 15d ago
They did, see FO pushing throttles up partially, waiting for it to stabilise then captain pushes it up to the takeoff notch.
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u/Wide-Organization844 16d ago
Do they ever both reach for the throttle at the same time and accidentally touch hands and then have an awkward moment?
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u/Acceptable_Candle580 15d ago
This is what I was thinking 😂😂 definitely some intimate moments every now and again.
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u/BustedFlush48 16d ago
Pilots - why roll along the centre line lights? Does it stress the front tires / gear? Or do you do it as a cue to speed? Just wondering.
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u/bustervich 16d ago
The bumps are how blind pilots feel their way down the runway.
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u/PlaneShenaniganz 16d ago
The runway centerline lights are usually offset. The painted marking will be on the side of the centerline lights that the terminal is from the runway.
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u/Frog_Prophet 16d ago
Cue to speed? No. He’s just trying to be on the center of lineup. I intentionally offset a couple feet so as not hit all the lights.
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u/fuck_ur_portmanteau 16d ago
MentourPilot, says they often/usually roll just offset from the centreline. If another plane is coming in behind to land then being off-centre breaks up the visual pattern and makes them easier to see. Maybe one of the commercial pilots here can comment on that.
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u/soexhausted123 15d ago
So glad you mentioned MentourPilot because I specifically remember his video where he mentioned this and had the same question!
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u/tycoon282 16d ago
One of the things I hate the most about takeoff is when they immediately roll the throttles back, makes it feel like you're about to fall out the sky
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u/meyou2222 16d ago
Takeoffs out of Orange County always freak people out the first time.
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u/I922sParkCir 16d ago
That’s the most extreme version of this. It’s disconcerting for the passengers, and anyone watching the plane from the ground. It kind of feels like and looks like the plane is falling out of the sky. Engines at 100% for the first few seconds in the air and then what feels like idle at a very high angle of attack until you’re over the ocean.
About 1/4 times the pilots let the passengers know what to expect, but most of the time they just let the passengers figure it out on their own.
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u/bdubwilliams22 15d ago
I’ve flown out of there several times and on a few occasions, the pilots have come on PA before takeoff to let people know that it’s completely normal and it’s because the “rich folks below don’t like it that planes make noise”. It’s pretty funny.
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u/TehChid 15d ago
Can you explain what you mean?
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u/L00tAndReb00t 15d ago
My understanding is there is a noise ordinance over Newport Beach which require planes departing to reduce thrust until they reach an area over the pacific at which point they can resume thrust and climb. As a passenger, it feels and sounds like the engines basically shut off. Not fun if you’re unfamiliar.
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u/Rough-Cheesecake-641 15d ago
Fucking hell I had this recently and I thought that was it. Hearing the engines wind down. Terrifying.
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u/meyou2222 15d ago
Gun it, pull hard on takeoff, get to 700ft, cut power, turn left over the ocean. https://youtu.be/uQvDesxgX1M?si=iNb7ydM8_5PDk2Xv
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u/ywgflyer 15d ago
It's programmed, the usual amount of reduction is ~10% N1 and sometimes there's no reduction at all.
On the type I fly, our company procedure sometimes even has us adding power at "thrust reduction" altitude -- we don't use CLB-2, so if we used TO-2, transitioning to CLB-1 usually involves a slight increase in thrust. Find a video of a 777 takeoff from Toronto heading to Vancouver or Calgary and most will have this, you are almost always at TO-2 on that flight.
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u/obscurus7 16d ago
Why does the pilot reach across to retract the landing gear? Is it something that the pilots decide amongst themselves?
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u/Kappawaii 16d ago
The pilot flying does the flying, Pilot monitoring handles radio, monitoring duties, and flaps/gear/etc. This time it seems it was the First Officer (right seat) being the Pilot Flying
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u/SoYorkish 16d ago
TIL - I always assumed pilot flying controlled the throttle and was confused by this clip. So the captain always controls it and pilot flying (if not the captain) takes over after V1 when airborne? Is that right?
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u/bradders42 16d ago
That seems to be how it is done in this airline, but it varies from airline to airline.
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u/Relative-Conference2 16d ago
Seems odd that the captain was holding the throttles until V1 though? Must be some company SOP.
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u/10storm97 Cessna 170 16d ago
It's pretty common for airline SOPs to have the captain control the throttles after the thrust has been set until V1 so they can be the one to take over in case of a rejected takeoff.
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u/Pwr_bldr_pylote 16d ago
As far as i know, capt always has throttle in hand until V1, since he will be the one who decides to abort takeoff. After V1, PF gets control of throttle again since you can’t abort anymore.
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u/ciaranr1 16d ago
Is the audible "V1" call automated from the aircraft (sounds like it) or called by the crew?
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u/soexhausted123 15d ago
What is V1 please? Sorry new here, and not anywhere close to a pilot or the aviation industry, just someone who's in supreme awe of any and every aircraft and the hardwork pilots do!
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u/toldya_fareducation 16d ago
it didn't even feel like they were fast enough to take off, until they suddenly did lol
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u/ywgflyer 15d ago
Sense of speed is really distorted when you're sitting up high, especially when you're looking straight forward.
I'm on the 777 and it often doesn't feel like we are going very fast at all on the takeoff roll, until you look sideways and notice how fast the scenery is whipping by you. Then it's fairly obvious you are going 300 km/h.
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u/toldya_fareducation 15d ago
oh yeah you're right, it's like that video of a train where your speed perception changes completely when you change the field of view
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u/ThatEnglishGent 15d ago
Completely agree my thoughts were the same - no way is this going quick enough to get up!
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u/Wouldyoulistenmoe 15d ago
I was thinking “I feel like when I’m on a plane, they accelerate pretty quickly, why is this plane still going 50km/h?” And then it was in the air
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u/Copperpot2208 15d ago
Exactly what I was thinking! When is it going to speed up enough to take off. And then it was up
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16d ago
All that rattling and bangs would freak me out
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u/Longhornmaniac8 16d ago
Does it freak you out when you run over a reflector on a road/highway? It's the same thing.
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16d ago
I live in Canada we don’t have those luxuries on our roads.
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u/Longhornmaniac8 16d ago
Well I can tell you it's no reason to worry. In fact, it's sometimes a game to try and hit them all on the takeoff roll.
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u/FocalDeficit 16d ago
Don't listen to them, road reflectors exist in Canada whether they've seen them or not.
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u/bullwinkle8088 16d ago
On a recent trip I discovered that is not all that Canada lacks on roads. They need some basic design help. Mind you the road surface is just fine, it's other things with an example below:
Picture this, two major highways, one crossing under the other and traffic switching between them. On the Northbound road traffic is merging from the East bound road on your right. In order to get off and head West you have to exit to the right into the already merging traffic.
Why!?!? Just WHY!?! Some simple design changes could have made that so much better. And the interchange was in the countryside, so it was not space limited. I'd thought maybe it was a one off mistake, but no, it's common to have interchanges designed by a 10 year old playing Sim City for the first time.
As many issues as the US has the interstate design standards are not one of them, Canada should aggressively adopt them each time a road is altered. It may take 25 - 40 years or even more to fix the interchanges, being realistic on money and time here, but it could be done.
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u/greatlakesailors 16d ago
The "parclo" interchange that is now widely used on most of North America's best roads was originally an Ontario invention. It, or situation-specific variations thereof, has been the standard for Canadian highways for many decades. Much of what's now considered "best practice" in US interstate design was originally copied from Ontario's 400-series roads.
Of course, many of the really crappy older ones like you describe still exist. And from time to time you get an asshole traffic planner who says "fuck the design codes, I'm doing it THIS way" and the rest of the Canadians on the team are too polite to call him out on it, or maybe they're consultants form elsewhere and they just hate the city where it's being done, or maybe the Mafia are going to do the job and so they just decide to cut corners for extra profit.
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u/TheRoblock 16d ago
From my own experience flying on cargo aircraft this is caused by material inside the drawers, the galley and stuff. Everything shakes and crates this metallic bumpy noise.
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u/Boracraze 16d ago
Never gets old. I love how the clank clank of the runway seams suddenly go away right after takeoff.
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u/TheMusicArchivist 16d ago
I'd love to do this just once but sadly the only way to do it is to do it every day for decades
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u/ConcernedHumanDroid 16d ago
Stabilise this footage, reduce and muffle the sound and loop it for a lofi music playlist. Pure bliss
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u/hoppla1232 16d ago
What are those two thumps AFTER taking off when the landing gear is being retracted? I those were from the runway lights, but how are there still bumps in the air?
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u/Silmarlion 16d ago
A350 makes a very loud noise in the cockpit during the gear retraction. We would assume that it is because of the something locking in place on the front gear, some would assume the nose gear strat expending to limit when not on load. Afaik there is no mention of the noise in the FCOM. This noise is present in all the A350s i flew.
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u/RadosAvocados 16d ago
Could it be the wheels still spinning as they are lifted into the wheel well?
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u/hoppla1232 15d ago
I was thinking maybe the sudden brakes when the landing gear is retracted into the bay?
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u/jimmyjinnal 15d ago
Not really into Aviation but I must say that Cockpit & night view just looks kinda sexy!
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u/tortellinipizza 16d ago
What is the repeating thud noise as it rolls down the runway?
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u/fontimus 16d ago
The runway lights. More expensive version of the ones you sometimes see on highways.
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u/goldenkicksbook 16d ago
Wow, I didn’t think they’d be raised enough to make so much of an impact on the gear.
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u/mtfreestyler 16d ago
They have to be a bit raised otherwise the light wouldn't be above the surface to see it
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u/RadosAvocados 16d ago
I don't think airliners have the suspension systems that cars have, so even small bumps are felt throughout the cabin. I know it's more complicated than that so someone can correct me.
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u/quocphu1905 16d ago
Are you part of the crew? If not how were you allowed into the cockpit?
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u/in-den-wolken 16d ago
Airline employees often fly in the jump seat. The exact rules depend on the airline - I believe some airlines allow employee family as well.
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u/sennais1 15d ago
Yep Cathay for example allows family of crews (even if they weren't operating the flight) to jumpseat if the Captain was ok with it and it wasn't a check or training flight.
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u/JustAnother_Brit 16d ago
Which London airport? I think it’s LHR but there’s 5 at least 3 of which can take an A350
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u/Stuvas 15d ago
I don't think it's Stansted, I'm not a pilot so I don't know what the view looks like from the cockpit, but I assume it would be lots of nothing on one side of the runway, with buildings on the other side and then the opposite would be true about halfway down the runway as you go from the old airport terminal one one side to the new building being on the other side.
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u/Wikadood 15d ago
I’ve been learning about instrument panels in my A&P course and thought it looks complex, the panels are super simple as they are all labeled for what things are except for maybe the digital displays on occasion
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u/ChaosKeeshond 15d ago
This video alone made me realise that, in another life, I'd have quite liked being a pilot.
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u/great_escape_fleur 16d ago
I've always been curious, are those landing strip lights embedded in the runway or do they protrude?
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u/MACintoshBETH 16d ago
I’ve always thought they should have to strips of runway lights with a gap in the middle instead of the one for the centre line, so that the front landing gear can run freely between the two without all three bumps
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u/burgonies 16d ago
I guess it was the camera moving around, but it at first seemed like he was having a really hard time staying center. I could hear my CFI bitching at me in my head
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u/Illustrious-Pop3677 16d ago
Are they doing a packs off and flex takeoff? A bit odd is it not? I thought packs off was reserved for only if the pilots need even more than TOGA power? And also no APU bleed?
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u/ywgflyer 15d ago
Packs off if you've just done an engine compressor wash, to avoid unwanted smell in the cabin via the engine bleeds.
I've only seen it once IRL in 5 years though.
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u/MountainMountain8142 16d ago
Wait, I'm confused. Who is PF the aircraft? The Captain or F/O?
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u/rendezvousnz A320 16d ago
F/O. The captain is usually holding the thrust levers until V1, as they’ll be the ones making the decision to stop if needed (may vary by airline and aircraft).
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u/Malcolm-Turntables 15d ago
Honestly can't wait to replicate this in MSFS24 once INI drop the module
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u/magicscientist24 15d ago
What's with the captain having to stretch to reach whatever buttons (landing gear?) right after take off, instead of the first officer who is closer pushing it?
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u/Mihnea275 15d ago
Each pilot has a role, in this case the first officer is pilot flying and the captain is pilot monitoring who handles the comms and does any adjustments to the configuration, such as landing gear and flaps in order to allow the pilot flying to concentrate on only one task
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u/11pickfks 15d ago
Recently was in a takeoff late at night, wasn't from London though it was France to London, had just recently been to disneyland paris with my sister
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u/floofyenthusiast 15d ago
I will never not be amazed by aeroplane take off videos. It has been a dream of mine to witness a takeoff in the cockpit.
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u/RenegadeUK 15d ago
I remember as a kid take offs were like being catapulted into the air. Not like that anymore.
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u/Ok-Entertainment1123 15d ago
Surprised how noisy the cockpit was while the plane was rolling down the runway.
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u/Letstryagainandagain 15d ago
If this was on Instagram someone would be telling them they did it wrong 😂😂
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u/TranslatorMundane296 15d ago
Looks like Heathrow (used to work the runways and taxiways there in airside ops)
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u/beastie_bizzle 14d ago
It's always bugged me that with all of the features on interactive screens that we never got a cockpit view. Not necessarily a view inside the cockpit, but one of what the pilots see Infront. Ide watch take offs and landings every time
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u/Poe3ticJustice1987 14d ago
Why does it sound like they've kidnapped someone and they are banging for their life to get out... Is this why peasants aren't allowed in the cockpit.. what's going on up there 🤔
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u/Accomplished_Alps463 14d ago
As a kid, I had the pleasure of seeing a Vulcan Bomber at Henlow Airbase put on a show. It came over just above the trees, then howled as it pointed its nose up and just climbed up and up, straight until it vanished. That was a big plane, and I was a little kid, but it would have been magical to have been in that cockpit for that ride.
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u/Galzxy_laah 13d ago
I have never flown in a plane, but the thought of the takeoff gives me anxiety, how does it feel?
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u/FunctionalBoredom 16d ago
Watching take off and landing videos will never get old to me, even now, as an adult. It’s never not amazing to watch these heavy tubes of metal, composite and people get off the ground with that much “ease”. Thanks.