When flying out of KSNA (John Wayne/Santa Ana/Orange County) in California, pilots initiate a steep, full power climb to like 1500 feet, then pull back drastically on the power, retract flaps, coast out over the ocean, then resume normal climb procedures. This is due to stringent noise abatement laws. It's like a wild carnival ride, and people who don't like flying, really get a full pucker factor working in their rear! My question is, when because of procedures like this (or similar procedures) call for a full power climb, I am assumiong they are not derating, or using Climb-1, or Climb 2, am I right? If so, when it's time to resume normal climb in the departure, are they just pulling power back, or are pilots re-working in the FMC for derated climb, and TRP C1, C2 settings through specified altitudes? Question part 2 would be, is there a programable function in the real FMC to say at "X" altitude to start a derated climb of 1 or 2???And lastly, does Full Power Climb literally mean climbing with no derated settings, or TRP settings, or are their different classes of full power climb?Hope that wasn't too confusing! :-)Thanks for any input,Neil

Until Flaps Retraction Altitude - varies at different airports - you use Take Off Power. This can eiher be full power or de-rated. Even with a de-rated Take Off you can get an impressive rate of climb. Passing the Flaps retraction altitude Either CLB, CLB1 or CLB2 is selected - this varies with operator preference.

Neil,Here's the straight "skinny," on SNA departures:This was given to me by someone in the know and is the CURRENT SNA departure profile used by a major US carrier. As always, procedures, profiles, etc., vary from carrier to carrier. What works for one may be different for another and still meet the stringent SNA departure noise abatement restrictions.

Hawkman,Thanks a lot! Appreciate it my friend..:D