Have you guys heard this sound before just after takeoff? Is it some sort of indication? (Source taken from YouTube)
Skip to 1:46 for sound
Iâve never heard it at that point. Normally its a way for the front attendants to signal the back ones to talk. Sometimes it may be the pilot calling to the attendants but I think that might be a double one.
I usually hear a double one right before takeoff as an alert to the crew. Then at 10,000 another one indicating they are above 10k.
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Yes I think its captain telling the crew that they can leave their seats but the seatbelt signs remain on for passengers. EDIT Though as Chris said it was very soon to hear the ding for crew to move. Perhaps the crew wanted to natter to one another.
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Since it is the initial climb I doubt they would be getting out of their seats. Chances are it was a passenger pressing the call button or inter-cabin communication.
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Iâve noticed this sound pretty frequently in the last few flights ie taken. Itâs usally a single âdingâ a few seconds after rotation, Iâm not really sure of the reason though
âOn our Airbus aircraft youâll hear the âboingâ sound shortly after take-off â this sound lets crew know that the landing gear is being retracted. The second boing is usually when the seat belt sign is switched off,â the airline explained in a blog post last year."
âA high-low chime combination is the sound of the crew calling each other on their in-flight phone system. Three low chimes in a row signals an urgent warning from the captain, like heavy turbulence ahead.â
âA ding-dong sound means pilots and flight attendants are calling each other on the inflight call systemâ, spokesman Jonathan Guerin told HuffPost.
Think of it as a language between the pilots and flight attendants
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/ding-sound-flight_us_593073eee4b010df62cc79df
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It is actually, the old âno-smokingâ sign dinging. You are hearing just after take off.
When airlines moved away from allowing paxâ to smoke within cabins, their switches for no-smoking was perm-set to âautoâ rather than the on or offsetting. Auto would mean that the lights would auto come off when the wheels retracted; simply, meaning it dinged as the wheels came up, to turn the light off automatically.
In newer aircraft, the noise is a configuration of the cabin chime, and it set to sound just after wheels up, to be in line with the SOPs of airlines.
This âdingâ was then adopted by airlines in their SOPâ around the world, as an indicator to the cabin crew that the wheels had retracted and in the event of an emergency, they could de-seat.
Source - A friend who was a long time BA cabin crew and is now a trainer at Easyjet.
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Thereâs really no need to tag people in a thread. If they want to be notified of replies they will have it enabled.
Not every airbus does that. I fly an A319 to Dallas all the time and never hear it for the landing gear.
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I think itâs to indicate that the aircraft is now airborne.
When you are sat down on any aircraft, above your head there is usually a personal light and a button to basically summon a cabin crew member. On the 737 when you press it a white light illuminates on whatever row you are on above your head.
Itâs for indicating the gear is up and the takeoff was successful
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Every airline has their own SOP for the use of the âsmoking switchâ which makes a single chime when toggled either direction. Most use it as a memory device through all phases of the flight for the cabin. For example, toggling it when they receive cabin secured for taxi then again for ready for departure. This way when the flight crew goes through various checklists and come upon a check for the cabin or FA notification, they can just look at the position of the switch rather than having to remember if they did or not. Usually the sequence is such that the switch will be toggled to the off position after takeoff to notify the cabin crew that it is safe to leave their seats. Again, each airline can use it in different ways.
The switch has no effect on the no smoking lights which are always illuminated.
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I feel like the âdingsâ procedure varies by airline. I was on a Delta flight KSJC-KMSP on a B738. We took off and had a double ding when we passed 10,000 feet. The same thing happened when I was on an American Airlines flight KMIA-KPHX and KPHX-KSJC.
But on Southwest Airlines, they donât chime at all unless they are turning the seatbelt sign off and on, and when the flight attendants or pilots are about to talk to us.
Iâve never been on a British Airways flight before but the way you describe it could be part of a procedure for British Airways.
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Can confirm this occurs on many British and European A320 family aircraft
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On all British Airways Aircraft, you hear the âboingâ at the following moments:
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When the aircraft is first in line for takeoff (aka - itâs ready for departure). This is usually done by the PIC by switching the non-smoking sign on and off.
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When the aircraftâs wheels have retracted (or on larger aircraft, from experience, during retraction). The âboingâ is accompanied by the light above the emergency exit flashing twice.
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When the aircraft reached an altitude of 10,000 feet. This is, by BAâs policies, when the passengers are allowed to move about the cabin (unless weather prohibits). Performed by switching off the âfasten seatbelt signâ.
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When the aircraft is either at an altitude of 15,000 feet or 15 minutes away from landing (varies for operational reasons). Usually performed by the turning the âfasten seatbeltâ sign on.
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When the gears are coming down, accompanied by the lights above the emergency exits flashing twice.
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The chime when the gear is retracted and extended on Airbus planes has to do with the doors. If you watch in the cabin, the exit signs will be illuminated while the gear is down but turn off when the gear is up.
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I have heard it before it is simply the noice the phone thing the crew use when it rings. I have heard it every flight I have experienced
indeed. gear up single bong on airbuses. the bong is made by the cabin information system. on approach there is a single bong on gear down.
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On all British Airways Aircraft, you hear the âboingâ at the following moments:
- When the aircraft is first in line for takeoff (aka - itâs ready for departure). This is usually done by the PIC by switching the non-smoking sign on and off.
on airbuses it is two bongs on runway entry manually done, there is a âchimeâ button
it isnât a strict 10,000ft up or down. it can easily be much lower going up on short haul if conditions allow, and usually coming down it happens at 10 mins to landing - the call âcabin crew, 10 minutes to landingâ is made by the flight crew. on long haul the seat belt sign does tend to stay on longer going up. coming down, it is a â20 minutes to landingâ call.
definitely not 15,000ft going down, unless you are landing at INN! 10 minutes to landing, or very occasionally sometimes 15, is much lower than 15,000ft. as noted on long haul it is a 20 minutes to landing call.
bear in mind the gear up and down bong is only airbuses so not the boeing aircraft. as noted above it is done by the CIDS
I think there are a few things we learned from this thread.
- This can vary by aircraft.
- This can vary by airline.
- This can vary by country.
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