Air Canada A340's without centre-gear.

[Dagger Dirk]

Alright, I'll bite. Why do these Air Canada A340's have no center gear?

link one (http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=414986&WxsIERv=QWlyYnVzIEEzNDAtMzEzWA%3D%3D&WdsYXMg=QWlyIENhbmFkYQ%3D%3D&QtODMg=Q2FsZ2FyeSAtIEludGVybmF0aW9uYWwgKFlZQyAvIENZWUMp&ERDLTkt=Q2FuYWRhIC0gQWxiZXJ0YQ%3D%3D&ktODMp=QXVndXN0IDI5LCAyMDAz&BP=1&WNEb25u=TWFyayBNY1doaXJ0ZXI%3D&xsIERvdWdsY=Qy1GWUtY&MgTUQtODMgKE=V2hlcmUgaXMgdGhlIGNlbnRlciBnZWFyPyE%2FIT8gR3JhY 2VmdWxseSBsaWZ0aW5nIG9mZiBvZiB0aGUgZ3JvdW5kLg%3D%3D&YXMgTUQtODMgKERD=MjgyOQ%3D%3D&NEb25uZWxs=MjAwMy0wOS0wMQ%3D%3D&ODJ9dvCE=&O89Dcjdg=&static=yes&size=L)

link two (http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=414626&WxsIERv=QWlyYnVzIEEzNDAtMzEzWA%3D%3D&WdsYXMg=QWlyIENhbmFkYQ%3D%3D&QtODMg=TG9uZG9uIC0gSGVhdGhyb3cgKExIUiAvIEVHTEwp&ERDLTkt=VUsgLSBFbmdsYW5k&ktODMp=QXVndXN0IDMwLCAyMDAz&BP=0&WNEb25u=UnlhbiBIZW1taW5ncw%3D%3D&xsIERvdWdsY=Qy1GWUtY&MgTUQtODMgKE=QW5vdGhlciBvbiBvZiBBaXIgQ2FuYWRhJ3MgZGVmZWN0aXZ lIGFpcmNyYWZ0ICwgbm90ZSB0aGlzIG9uZSBoYXMgdGhlIGNlbnRyZSBnZWF yIG1pc3Npbmch&YXMgTUQtODMgKERD=Nzc1&NEb25uZWxs=MjAwMy0wOS0wMQ%3D%3D&ODJ9dvCE=&O89Dcjdg=&static=yes&size=L)

link three (http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=415644&WxsIERv=QWlyYnVzIEEzNDAtMzEzWA%3D%3D&WdsYXMg=QWlyIENhbmFkYQ%3D%3D&QtODMg=Q2FsZ2FyeSAtIEludGVybmF0aW9uYWwgKFlZQyAvIENZWUMp&ERDLTkt=Q2FuYWRhIC0gQWxiZXJ0YQ%3D%3D&ktODMp=U2VwdGVtYmVyIDEsIDIwMDM%3D&BP=1&WNEb25u=TWFyayBNY1doaXJ0ZXI%3D&xsIERvdWdsY=Qy1GWUtY&MgTUQtODMgKE=VGhlcmUgaXMgbm8gY2VudGVyIGdlYXIhLi4uYWdhaW4uIEk gZmlyc3Qgbm90aWNlZCB0aGlzIG9uIEF1Z3VzdCAyOXRoLCBhbmQgaGVyZSB pdCBpcyBhZ2Fpbi4%3D&YXMgTUQtODMgKERD=MTI1OQ%3D%3D&NEb25uZWxs=MjAwMy0wOS0wMg%3D%3D&ODJ9dvCE=&O89Dcjdg=&static=yes&size=L)

LINK FOUR (http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=375363&WxsIERv=QWlyYnVzIEEzNDAtMzEzWA%3D%3D&WdsYXMg=QWlyIENhbmFkYQ%3D%3D&QtODMg=TG9uZG9uIC0gSGVhdGhyb3cgKExIUiAvIEVHTEwp&ERDLTkt=VUsgLSBFbmdsYW5k&ktODMp=SnVuZSAyOCwgMjAwMw%3D%3D&BP=1&WNEb25u=VCBTaWxncmlt&xsIERvdWdsY=Qy1GWUtY&MgTUQtODMgKE=&YXMgTUQtODMgKERD=MTY3&NEb25uZWxs=MjAwMy0wNi0zMA%3D%3D&ODJ9dvCE=&O89Dcjdg=&static=yes&size=L) this time with centre-gear

There's obviously a good explanation (and it's probably been raised here before) - but what is it?

[woderick]

My Airbus expertise ends at 330 however:
All shots are the same A/C
4 was taken about two months before 1,2, & 3 which were all taken over a three day period. My guess is that the center gear had been de-activated for some technical reason around the end of August start of September as it is clearly fitted in June.

[Traffic]

Li Ka Shing who thru his poxy... oops proxy son has taken out the checkbook to resurrect this basket-case has decreed, that until loads improve, center main gear is no longer required:}

[spannersatcx]

It's allowable under the mel as follows:

32-15 CENTRELINE GEAR
15-01 Centreline Gear
May be inoperative in retracted
position provided the MTOW and the
MLW are limited as follows:
MTOW : 230,000 KG
MLW : 185,000 KG
Note : The centreline gear may be
deactivated in retracted position with
or without the wheel assemblies
fitted. Consider weight saving of 300
KG with wheels removed.