SIDs for US departures
 

Hi all,

I live in Roseville on the North Shore, and many afternoons around 2-3pm we get all the QF and UA (haven't seen any VA night flights yet) to LAX and SFO. I had a look at the SIDs and couldn't find any published departures that would bring them over this way. I know it's only when departure is from 34L. Do the US flights have some sort of special departure that isn't published or are they usually just given straight vectors?

I think it's a Sydney 2, but happy to be corrected.

Yeh the Sydney 2 is correct.
Those departures *should* be given a departure via Richmond (I think), however the 744 cannot meet the gradient requirements at heavy weights, so the only option off 34L is to go basically straight ahead until north of the harbour then a right turn at some point depending on traffic. The Sydney 2 is pretty much just radar vectors.

Nigel and Chris, thanks for that!

I would have thought a 744 could comply with a 3.3% gradient even fully loaded.

Nick, it's the 5.6% to 2500' requirement on the Richmond 2 (34L) which is difficult to meet under high weight/temperature conditions.

Isn't that why they are given Sydney Two so that there is no need to comply with 5.6% to 2500'?

Personally I haven't seen a US departure during the day which has run all the way out to Richmond before turning back east.

Sorry, I thought you hadn't picked up on the 5.6% to 2500', and were suggesting that 3.3% was the limiting gradient on the RIC2 (which it isn't).

Funny story goes along with this one.

Was spotting at beach some weeks ago- think it was in January and UAL839 to LAX decided to take a Richmond 2 departure out of 34L. Tower was clearly amused by his decision remarked "UAL839 are you sure you want the Richmond 2 SID", which was followed by a "Yes" and then tower laughing says "UAL839 that is the first time in about 10 or 15 years a west coast bound flight has taken the Richmond 2- runway 34L cleared for takeoff".

Anyways slightly off topic but hope you enjoyed it!

Matt was probably the pilots first time here. Bloody long way to fly to track back east!

Good to see the tower having a laugh! And Matt McDonald would have been happy to see a UA 744 fly over his place! :D