A300
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport
Aircraft
After retraction of the gear I could feel the cabin climbing higher than normal. Climbing out of about 6000 feet; the cabin was climbing at 1700 ft. Per minute. All indications were normal; except for an advisory on the Electronic Centralized Aircraft Monitor (ECAM) of high cabin rate of climb. During the climb; all door indications were closed; the two outflow valves; safety valve; and overboard valves were fully closed. The Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) bleed valve was confirmed closed; and the bleeds and packs were working normally. We troubleshot using the Quick Reference Handbook (QRH) and leveled at 16;000. I tried both pressure regulators; and the manual mode. All valves stayed fully closed; but the cabin continued to climb. As the cabin neared 10;000 feet we descended to 10;000 feet. We noticed as we descended that the cabin pressure started to work normally again. The cabin descended at 350 feet per minute. And continued down to a cabin altitude of 8;000 feet. Thinking that the problem had fixed itself we decided to climb back up; and see if the pressure would work normally. On our climb; the cabin rate of climb; went back up to about 1700 feet per minute. When the cabin reached 10;000 feet we donned our oxygen masks; and headed back down. Again the cabin pressure worked normally on the descent. We held for about 30 minutes to burn down below our max landing weight. We landed at 307;000 lbs.
A300 First Officer reported cabin pressurization malfunction on initial climb that resulted in a return to the field.