They just use it to up the total number of movements they can achieve which I think is what you are effectively saying. Obviously there are limitations to it’s usage (primarily wind strength and direction). Sydney also uses it to spread the noise issue to reduce the effect on people living in the path of the main runway.

I’m in LA at the mo so you’ll have to wait until I get home!

Yes but the BA 744 usually lands immediately after and they would then say the same thing about them!

About 14 years ago I operated on a 747-200 revenue flight from LGW to EWR with a FULL passenger load and a 5th pod. Somewhere in my archives I’ve got a photo from inside the cabin of the 3 engines on the left wing. I’ll see if I can find it and post it.

Well there’s definitely no criticising your determination! I remember hearing about this somewhere last year but I never realised it was you. I think it’s quite incredible that you have taken the bull by the horns and achieved this. Fantastic result.

…Although im sure some of the airbus test pilots would like to have a go at rolling the A340, would be so much easier with fly by wire…

It wouldn’t actually be possible under normal circumstances as the flight envelope protection system does not allow the aircraft to exceed 67 degrees angle of bank (or minus 15 to plus 25-30 degrees pitch depending on speed/angle of attack). However if you turned off some of the computers you could change the flight control laws from normal law to alternate law and then to direct law and now you’ve manually downgraded the handling to the same as an A300/310 or a Boeing. Now you’re rolling!

Very common in the States and also in Sydney. I’ve never heard it called Symops before, it’s referred to in the Jepp books as LAHSO (land and hold short operations). Even though the airfield might be using LAHSO when we arrive, we are not allowed to participate so it gets suspended for a few minutes until we land or depart. That’s the case for all UK airlines…it may be the case for any airline not from the country where it is occurring, I don’t know.

Well done WD. IIRC didn’t you have a command on the B1900 before?