Guys my earlier post was in response to a claim that initially selecting 9 degrees on the Maltese cross was an Emirates training department teaching and that it was wrong. This is not true! Read my earlier post again, it is an extract from the Airbus training manual not a one off memo and it is also what I was taught by Airbus.
They do not suggest that this is a pitch target or indeed a parameter you need to monitor just a good place to start from to get the rotation going. Out of interest I have tried this in the sim on a hot day at max take-off weight at the airfield in question and it works! The target attitude is 12.5 degrees and then follow the SRS for an A330. This may be a little different for an A340 I don't know as I have no experience of the 340. Also the Maltese cross disappears once the weight is off the wheels so continuing to use the cross and getting it confused with pitch attitude is not going to happen.
I know nothing of Emirates internal politics and will be very interested in the results of the enquiry.
