As long as you are sure it isn't the wheels completing their retraction into
the wheel well, then it is probably the struts extending to its
full-extended position. Or it may be the brakes stopping the turn of the
wheels before it starts its retraction. I've flown many hours around the
world and the main "bang" I remember is the retraction of the main wheels.

Marco Leon

"G Farris" wrote in message
...
I've flown a lot of planes, of different sizes, and I always lift off
gently.
When I fly as a passenger on an airliner though, there is a "thud" or even
a
"bang" as the main wheels leave the runway. Sometimes this bang is so loud
is
frightens passengers, and once it was strong enough (on a 777 departing
for
Hong Kong) that I was sure we'd at least blown a tire, if not actually
struck
something with the mains. But in the end, it's always OK - just normal.
Who
knows what this is? Is it the pusher actuators on the main gear? The
telescoping elements of the main gear bottoming out? Just curious. . .

G Faris