A 380 Ops
I had to meet clients at LHR a couple of times this apst week while the airport was on easterlies.
idling away a few minutes outside the T4 Hilton Isa a BA 380 headed for Washington from FR24) depart on Monday and Wednesday. It made the usual Compton departure hard right off 09R but seemed to barely climb scooting over Feltham etc at about 1500 ft . . I did check on FR 24 after it had passed out of sire and it was at about 5500 overhead Bagshot/Camberley area which is pretty normal for US bound aircraft.
Was it my imagination it seemed so low on both days, after all LHR_IAD is a walk in the park for a 380 . I did carefully watch a few other westbounds , T7s and 764s which climbed away much higher , is it just an illusion caused by the 380s size or is there a special keep it low/build up speed departure technique for them. It is remarkably quiet on take off and was just made for the BA livery -that massive tail shows off the stylised Union flag to a tee, really does fly the flag.