Virgin 340 Heathrow incident 10/2
 

I was passing Heathrow on Friday 10th Feb and saw a Virgin A340 take-off towards Hatton Cross - Eastbound, it turned towards Sunbury/Staines, climbing normally. I was driving but watched it for a while, the landing gear didn't retract. Anyone know what happened?

Could be as simple as for cooling purposes...l extended taxi heavy weight...


Leave the gear down after T/O for a few mins then bring it up.

Quite so. Why would this ever be described as an 'incident'?:ugh:

Had this once on a BA 742, when leaving a hot destination. Routine.

Not a bad way to open your PPRuNe account there Wasp!

Probably not the case on Saturday though Paxboy lol;)

True, Evanelpus, I was just trying to reassure the OP (It was MBJ!)

Sorry chaps - my mate who has a mate at VS says this aircraft had a hydraulic problem - it flew around for 20 mins until they sorted it.

AN INCIDENT I reckon?

Every 7700 seems to be an 'incident' on here now. Sometimes FR24 can be a right pain in the arse :ugh:

Yeah Wasp, my dogs brothers friend knows a cat who has an owner who works there too and he confirmed the same:E

Sorry boys, I think my info is accurate. Are you always this hostile to newbies?

As for your 'it's normal for long taxi/heavy take-offs, it was about zero degrees last Friday at Heathrow. What do airbus pilots do in hot/high conditions?

Could not have been much of a hydraulic problem if it was sorted in flight from the cockpit.

What do we do in hot and high conditions? Exactly as I described above.

On the day in question was the runways etc contaminated?

If so check the adverse weather section...

There was no incident, no Virgin Aircraft had an air turnback or any other problem that day (yes I did check)

Waaaay back when I was a young Heathrow controller, an Airbus took off and I noticed the gear still down as it turned left on the SID. I said something quite stupid like "Your gear is still down". To which the pilot replied: "Affirmative, we use it for zee take off".

Leaving gear down for a while after take-off is a non-event.

Leaving gear up for a while after landing, now that might be an incident.

@ Wasp "Are you always this hostile to newbies?" Yes I am sorry to say sometimes newbies are treated like you have just been.
I think it might be a test to see if you are strong and stay, or are weak and just leave. At least you were not called a "troll"
like someone I know was :)

Waspernator...If you stick around long enough you'll know who to ignore and who to listen to.

Some people are only on here to cause grief, bitch and moan, so let them get on with it.

I've been a member on PPRuNe for quite a while, but don't post much as you can pretty much guarantee you'll get some smart arse try and have a pop when you do post...these people have a name - 'Sky Gods'...or so they like to think...

However, on the plus side, there are some great people on here that are willing to help and offer advice.

Regarding your original post, I have friends who work in various Airlines around the world and leaving the landing gear down for a while after take-off seems like an everyday thing. Although, another reason could be hydraulic issues as you later mentioned.

Well said Scott.

Strange, I've watched many aircraft take-off and never noticed them keep their gear down. Must pay more attention!

About 3 years ago at Denver in mid summer I was SLF on a TED A 320 on a quik turn-around to Las Vegas and after a pretty loooong taxi we had to sit for 10 or 15 mins whilst - as the flight deck put it - we waited for the brakes to cool enough for the take off, in case we need em in a hurry.

Didn't notice but they were probably hung down for the first few miles after that departure

Leaving gear down after takeoff is not normal ops but doens't necessarily indicate a problem either.

MEL's can require leaving gear extended after takeoff for a couple of minutes.

I was on a BA A319 from LHR to GLA years ago. Whilst tracking North, somewhere over Birmingham or Manchester, the flightdeck did a PA to warn us that the flight was going to get a bit bumpier and noisier because they were going to lower the landing gear for fifteen minutes to cool the wheels down. Literally. More drag?

And they did!

Not sure why only that late after take-off and not immediately after departure. There could be a million reasons, I guess.