Widebody Transport
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 180; Flight Crew Type 7979
Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Illness / Injury
Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Procedure; Aircraft
Climbing out of Beijing on the LADIX 8E departure off Runway 01; I checked in with the Departure Controller and requested relief from the speed and altitude restrictions published in the departure. The controller replied 'Climb unrestricted' and for clarification I requested a climb speed of 280 knots. ATC denied the request; citing 'traffic' and told us to maintain 250 KTS until 5;700 meters (18;700 feet.)We decided to leave the flaps at 1 and continue climb at the requested 250 knots. Climbing out of 10;000 feet I again requested higher speed and we were denied; controller repeated the clearance to maintain 250 KTS until 5;700 meters. The working relief pilot reminded us that max flap operating limit was 20;000 feet. Seeing no legal or operational limit to restrict us; we complied; but I did once again request a higher speed and we were again denied.At 5;700 meters the Captain lower the nose a bit; accelerated to the flap 0 tick; and called for flaps up. As the flaps were retracting; or perhaps just as they reached the up position; we weren't sure; we got a stick shaker. Captain pushed forward gently on the yoke and the stick shaker stopped immediately and we continued climb without incident. We later learned that a flight attendant in the back hit her head during the maneuver and had a headache; but she did not request MedLink and later said she felt better; although she did have a sore neck.We debriefed the event and all agreed that at no time were we illegal or in violation of any FAR; aircraft limit or SOP. But the take away is that we have not consistently trained for or flown the aircraft at high altitudes with flaps extended and the aircraft did not perform as we anticipated.
[Report narrative contained no additional information.]
After departure with heavy takeoff weight; ATC limited aircraft's speed to below minimum flaps up configuration. Crew kept flaps at position 1 until higher altitudes. Crew experienced brief stick shaker when retracting flaps near flaps zero speed at higher altitudes.