That ding-dong thing before take-off!
 

Hey gals and guys!

Was wondering if anyone could enlighten me on something thats bugged me for a while. You know when you board a plane and taxi and are about to turn onto the runway for take-off there is always the sound of the tone that goes ding-diog ding-dong and it sounds like some passenger has pressed the call-bell. Have noticed this on a few flights and wondered if this meant anything. Does this indicate to the cabin crew that take-off is imminent?

Many thanks for your replies!!!:ok:

Exactly. Crew should be strapped in by this time.

Thanks for that! Thats been bugging me for a while!

Well that makes much more sense..

I always though it was a passenger pressing the bell. :(

On smaller aircraft it is the Crew communicating with each other to say we are seated and ready for takeoff and then the L1 will double ding the flight deck to let them know they can turn onto the active runway. This would be only on single aisle aircraft with 2 crew stations.

The ding dong is not just for 2 crew operation. In addition to what sebby said the airline i work for is a jet operation and conducts a 'call back' before take off to ensure that all crew are secured for take-off. Some aircraft we have contain up to 4-5 doors up each side which is why a call back is conducted to ensure everybody is ready to go. Once this call back to cabin crew is complete, then the purser/cabin manager/CSM/FSD will confirm with the flight deck that the cabin is secure for take-off.

I never said 2 crew operation, rather 2 crew stations - like a 737 where there are only 2 areas on the aircraft where multiple crew are seated.

In my company (737 operator) we cycle the seatbelt signs to provide a chime in the cabin to let the crew we are about to take off. However we can only line up on the runway once we have had the secure from the senior cabin member.

Before the cabin secure is passed to the flightdeck, the crew at the rear of the aircraft call the crew at the front to let them know they are seated. This also makes a chime in the cabin.

In my airline its a question from the flight deck to the cabin crew... "is the cabin secure?" The in-charge must then reply, otherwise the flight deck wont take off.

The 757 with 4 crew stations use the double chime to communicate flight deck to cabin calls.

Keep guessing...

Nic

lots od ding dongs!
 

Hey airbuslit
It's when you get three sets of double chimes or the Captain say 'Senior to the flight deck' over the PA that you want to start worrying! Have a look at the cabin crew faces when that happens!

eggorbeans...nothing like a bit of scaremongering of an afternoon. In my airline, 3 double dings in the cabin merely means the flight crew are calling. It is not any sign of an emergency, it probably just means they want a cup of coffee.

Perhaps you should have a wee think before posting something that might worry nervous passengers, especially if it is incorrect information.

ding a ling
 

d drip
lighten up a wee bit!

So basically as you can see, the answer is... it varies from airline to airline! Dont worry yourself about it, if you need to know something you'll be told via the PA!

At BA Longhaul a set of three high low chimes is an indication we are pulling onto the runway on shorthaul where there is no facility for these chimes the seatbelt sign is cycled to produce 3 chimes.

It's just a "final warning" signal to crew as the Senior will ask CC to take seats prior to informing the flight deck we are secure. We don't confirm this we are just expected to comply immediately.

When the flight deck call us you get a "high low high low" chime crew to crew is just "high low" and pax call bell is just a high chime.

Very uninteresting now you know. Sometimes fligth crew will "double ding" us if we have been warned about turbulent whether to let us know it is safe to leave our seats though this is agreed on the day as opposed to being an SOP.

As it has been said before, it varies from airline to airline. In my airline the Flight Deck dings the cabin to let me know we're ready to take off and they waiting for me to give them "cabin secure for take off".
Overall it's a communication thing using al the ding dongs, chimes and lights possible without having to use the a/c's PA systems.

Now the ding dong that annoys me the most is the toilet call bell... To all the pax out there: THAT IS NOT A BUTTON YOU CAN PRESS TO DRY YOUR HANDS!!!! OR FLUSH THE TOILET FOR THAT MATTER!!
Is it the little person with a tray on the button making you think otherwise??:ugh:

What about the whole "cabin crew seats for departure" thing?

Put1992
In BA Longhaul at LHR (where I am a CSD), the sequence of events is ;-
Once the cabin & galleys have been checked as all secure for take off, I will go to my crew seat, inform the flt. crew that we are secure for take off, & make a PA to tell my crew to take their seats for departure. After this, we should also get the double chime from our flt crew to inform the c.crew that we are turning on to the runway & that take off is imminent. By this time, all c.crew should be strapped in.
I believe that the "double ding thing" is a "nice to have" & not a "must have" hence why the CSD tells the crew to take their seats, & not necessarily wait for the double ding.
It may well be different for other airlines & even s/haul on BA.
Matt.

I think your all wrong.

The double ding actually means "ready for the first cup of tea"

Which is why you occasionally hear it in the cruise as well.

Airbuses also have an automatic system fitted which gives a ding as the gear comes up and the tray comes out. I intially though ":mad:me they don't muck about releasing the cabin crew" but it really means they have flicked the switch in the cockpit to turn the kettle on.

If you don't give the double bing as you go onto the runway you have no chance of a cup of tea before the top of climb.

:p (don't worry I know I will get what I am given, if I am lucky and if I help checking the seat pockets on a turnaround I might get a biscuit too)