In this tutorial we will focus on flying the MD11

Thanks for the information. Very informative.

Thank you very much Ric!

 

 

These days, pitch and power doesn’t work as well in jets.

 

Has the theory changed? :smile:

 

blaustern

Has the theory changed? :smile:

 

blaustern

No it hasn't, but in my experience and opinion, it doesn't work as well in jets. The only time you will find that pitch works well for airspeed and thrust for glide path is when you are on the backside of the thrust curve. In a jet aircraft, that's the last place you want to be unless performing a max maneuver to escape terrain or getting out of windshear. In props like a C130 or other prop where the engines are wing mounted, prop angle change gives instant lift. In jet aircraft, things takes a little bit before it changes. In the forward end of the thrust curve, thrust directly effects speed. Lift change happens as the speed changes. Now there are some aircraft like the C-17 that thrust actually is directly related to glide path in the approach configuration. The flaps are blown, meaning they extend into the engine exhaust. This deflects the thrust giving the aircraft the ability to have a wide range of approach angles. They can set a point on the runway along with a glide path angle and the plane will fly it. It will also give them the touch down point based on throttle settings. They just adjust the throttle to keep the indicator in the HUD on the point they want to touch down. Their flare is also different. Unlike traditional jets where you pitch for flare and reduce power. They keep pitch constant and add power to change the descent rate. Though they are not on the backside of the power curve, the blown flaps gives them the ability to operate as such during landing. I did recall C17 guys having to do some adjustments when returning to traditional jets.  remember a guy got low during a circling maneuver. I mentioned his descent below MDA and just added power. It just made him low and fast. Too each his own I guess.  

First of all, learn about flaps and approach speed schedules. Put your flaps out on a good speed schedule. Get your gear down at the right time to help you not only slow down, but to avoid excessive fuel burn due to drag. This stuff is in the manual, but can also partially be figured out by looking at a STAR approach plate - generally there are speed and alt restrictions that will sort of force you to put down slats, flaps etc. at certain phases of the approach due to the narrowing safe flying speed zone.

 

Then.. Make sure you have your approach configured in the FMC. This means correct runway, correct STAR, transitions if necessary, etc.

 

Then - real important - learn how to use the Flight Director!!!!!!! I can't believe how many people just ignore that thing. Those magenta lines are not just for fun! They actually will keep your aircraft on a perfect path right down to minimums if you've plugged in the FMC data properly!

 

Do not be afraid to pop up the boards to lose some altitude or speed, but remember that especially in the MD-11 they cause a fairly major pitch change, so you need to be ready for that.

 

If you want to fly a fairly realistic approach as many carriers fly them, you'll fly with autothrottle engaged (Set on the MCP to your VREF+5knots) and then control the aircraft with your yoke or joystick.

 

Do not be herky jerky with the yoke. Make a smooth but firm control movement and hold it there until you achieve the desired attitude. The aircraft's autothrottle system will command the correct thrust setting so don't try to play around with the thrust. Focus on keeping the pitch attitude pegged on where the flight director says it should be. One of the most enlightening things I have ever seen in my flying days was a beginner flying with his instructor in a helicopter a few feet above the taxiway. The instructor took the controls from the student and showed him the difference between jerky control inputs and firm, smooth movements in the desired direction. The aircraft really will behave better if you do things SMOOTHLY!

 

Then once you need to flare, the autoflight system will cut the throttles and you should gently start flaring at about 100 to 30 feet, depending on your weight, density altitude (not simulated in fsx?) and flap setting. If you are at flaps 35, you can have a more or less regular flare at 50-30 feet. At flaps 50 you'll want to start your flare a little earlier, 50feet or higher. You'll drop like a rock once the thrust cuts out at flaps 50.

 

The flare is the hardest part - I think touch and goes make for good practice. Have you read the manual? Don't get too gung ho in your flare - do you remember the tailstrike angle for the MD-11? Not as bad as the 777-300ER but still, if you're a Turkish Airlines pilot, anything is possible..! Gentle on the flare! Conversely, the MD-11 is prone to bouncing and flipping over if you do not positively plant the aircraft. So if you are lacking in flare skill, err on the side of caution by landing with a firm but not excessive vertical speed, engage thrust reversers immediately (remembering that #2 reverser only comes online once the nose wheel is down), get the boards out, and resist the urge to get into pilot induced oscillations!! If your landing was crappy enough to send you into a big bounce, you should really think about pushing the throttles to max and going around. Don't forget to check the spoilers are stowed if you go around.

 

Now if you are ready for a fully manual approach, you can either fly everything until final with the FD, or if you are a stick and rudder kind of guy, turn off the FD with the FLDIR OFF button on the left side of the PFD, or on the right side if you're flying as F/O. This disables the FD and you can fly purely using the ND using VOR, NDB's, or whatever else.

 

The key is, 3 degrees glide path angle! If you don't know what a 3 degree glide path angle is or why it's important, please check out youtube about how to fly an IFR approach - even VFR approaches are usually flown at 3 degree glide path angles, except at certain airports (It'll be listed on an IFR plate). If you are at the correct altitude at the Final Approach Fix, the below steps will result in a 700fpm descent at all standard airports. Only particular airports have steeper or shallower approaches, usually for obstacle clearance or noise abatement.

 

Get lined up with the runway at the final approach fix and then focus your eyes on the touchdown zone of the runway. In the sim it's a little hard to do, but you want to keep your eyes exactly on the TD spot. If the TD spot starts moving UP on the screen, you're too low and you're going to undershoot the touchdown. If the TD spot starts moving down the screen, you're too high and you're going to overshoot. Keep it centered in the exact same spot through the entire landing.

 

When controlling with manual throttle, don't be playing around with the throttle all the time. Unless you're experiencing severe gusts, you should be able to set the throttle and forget it completely, because a stable approach will have only minimal attitude changes until touchdown. You should never have to touch the throttle until cutting the power before the flare. This is probably the hardest part of a manual approach.

 

The MD-11 has a high rear engine that points somewhat downward so it has a sort of "vectored thrust" effect. This means when you make power changes it messes with the pitch attitude more than it would on typical twin engined aircraft. This makes it all the more important to stop screwing around with the thrust and just leave it alone. Hit your approach speed early on in the approach and don't touch it anymore. If you're high or low, use the yoke to correct for it, and trim to help with control forces and stability. Do not fly with the trim, it's for lightening control forces, not for flying the approach!

 

Last but not least, for crosswinds use the wing-low method. If you're being pushed to the right, bank left and keep the aircraft on the centerline by adjusting your bank and making minor corrections with rudder - but basically controlling with bank. Then during the flare level out and use the rudder to straighten up the nose with the centerline. This is the technique most (All?) big aircraft require to land. I don't think there are many people doing rudder heavy final approaches etc. like in small aircraft.

My flight sim experience with the MD11 is that it doesn't like being hand-flown. The elevator response it poor and the throttles are slow to respond. As stated by one of the previous contributors, leave the Autothrottle on and focus on approach path (GS/Loc/VASI) cues. Speed control (too fast, mostly) on approach is the most critical aspect.

 

 

My flight sim experience with the MD11 is that it doesn't like being hand-flown

 

I just do what the HUD tells me. :smile: 

 

blaustern

My flight sim experience with the MD11 is that it doesn't like being hand-flown. The elevator response it poor and the throttles are slow to respond. As stated by one of the previous contributors, leave the Autothrottle on and focus on approach path (GS/Loc/VASI) cues. Speed control (too fast, mostly) on approach is the most critical aspect.

 

Just a thought...are you using FSUIPC to assign controls ?

If pschlute's question is directed at me, the answer is no. I only use the default portion of FSUIPC that came with some other piece of software (forgotten which) that doesn't require any configuration. I do have a Saitek joystick but that software, while installed, is mostly un-used. 

My post was directed at you, that is why I quoted your post.

 

Reason being that use of the FSUIPC "direct-to" functions in FSUIPC for aileron and elevator are not advisable with the MD-11 because they bypass the LSAS system modelled into the PMDG aircraft. You can still calibrate in FSUIPC however using the "send to FS as normal axis" assignment.

 

As you dont use FSUIPC,  this is not relevant to you.

 

I do however find the MD-11 to be one of the most stable aircraft to hand fly, which was why I questioned how you were assigning/caliibrating your controls.

I can't agree with the post stating that the MD-11 is unsuited for hand flown approaches. IMO the MD-11 is THE pilot's aircraft, she is so beautifully suited for hand flown approaches it makes me blush to think about it.

 

 

But you've got to be ready for it man!!!!!!

 

You don't go to a date with a supermodel wearing torn denim and a a dark green jacket do you? What's wrong with you man?

 

You have got to be ready for these things. If you are not set up for the approach then forget about the whole thing. Your bad planning is not the girl's fault is it? Don't play the blame game. You should have been lower earlier, and you know it. Don't blame the girl (aircraft). It's your own fault, take responsibility man.

 

With the MD-11 get on the correct glide path early. Watch the weather forecast before your descent to see if you need to start an early descent. Watch for tailwinds. The MD-11 lands FAST. If you are battling a tailwind, you need to start down early. Don't blame the airplane for your poor performance ah? Pop the speed brakes if you are high or fast, start the descent way early if you are a maestro. Of course this is limited by ATC vectoring! If you experience full deflection on the glide slope or the localizer, why on earth would you try to continue the landing? go around you fool! I'm sure this is insulting to 99.9% of people reading this, but if it helps 0.1% of those who would try to continue the landing at full localizer or glideslope deflection.. go around you fool! you're going to die!

 

The MD-11 will respond exactly as you need it to at flare speeds. It is not a surprising aircraft. But if you land with high speed at flare, do not be surprised if it wants to fly more! But if you have cut the power completely, what you you think is going to happen? It will drop like a stone. Some accidents have happened in situations like this. If you cut the power suddenly while the aircraft still wants to fly, it's going to bounce on the landing gear. then the wings will provide lift and lift her up again then stall and result in a a low altitude spin and crash into the ground. This killed an MD-11F at Narita a few years ago. I will not go into the details of why this happened, I am not an NTSB expert. If you have any brains, you will research this incident until there's nothing more than can be learned. If you do not research this incident you are an idiot. There have been several other incidents with MD-11F's that are similar to the Narita crash. Please study them deeply if you're not a total jackass.

 

If you are flying in a gusty area such as Narita (Tokyo, Japan) make provisions for significant unexpected tailwind gusts. These gusts may put you way over the vref / landing speed of your craft. It's up to you to decide whether you have enough runway left to cut power and STOP, or to max power and TOGA for a go around. I believe that if you are a good pilot you'll be able to cut power and avoid PIO (Pilot Induced Oscillations) and keep the aircraft on the ground, or go around if the tailwinds are too strong for a safe landing..

 

Please be careful at airports like Narita. The wind is very tricky. It has killed people before. This is not a joke. Don't screw around. If you feel like your landing is crappy, put the power to max and get away from the ground. Your engines have more power than the ground does in most circumstances.

 

If you have EXTREMELY tricky winds as are not so rare at Narita or similar weird airports, consider an ALTERNATE LANDING DESTINATION, HELLO BUDDY, THAT WAS NOT JUST PUT IN THE CDU FOR FUN!!!!! Winter and Springtime winds at Narita are utterly INSANE!!!!!! It's not unusual to park your bicycle somewhere in Tokyo in winter or spring and have it get blown over or even pushed a fair distance by the wind before you're finished your daily tasks. How do you think your MD-11 feels about that? Think about it before trying to put all the wheels down. Don't be an idiot. If it's too windy for the right runway, land somewhere else. There is no lack of runways in the Kantou area to put down an MD-11F. You can go south, west or north and have options over 2500m as an alternate. Don't take risks if the wind is bad.

Whew, finally was able to finish. Sorry for the wait, I've been busy flying the line.

 

Greetings all,

In this tutorial we will focus on flying the MD11. A lot of the tips I mention are DC-10-30 specifics, but should work out with the MD11. Before taking on this tutorial, I recommend reading the PMDG MD11 FMS guide. This will definitely prepare you for the tutorial flight with in. Also, take time to read up on the automation so that you are familiar with the process of preparing for a flight. We will discuss some characteristics of Micky D three holers, flying tips and a proficiency flight.

 

First we will talk about some of its characteristics. One of the first things you will learn about this type is that it is full of momentum. They are full of inertia. This means that it takes time to respond in trajectory and speed. With that in mind, you should only make small corrections and changes. So add a little, wait a little. Add more, wait more. This will also require you to stay ahead of the aircraft and anticipate maneuvers and speed changes. The engines also lag when making changes from lower settings to higher settings. So this aircraft with its large weight range behaves like 3 different type of aircrafts. There’s the heavy, medium and light jet.

 

The heavy jet is full off momentum. She responds to throttle input slowly. Once she gets going, you have to pull the power because it will carry through. You have to be patient and judge power inputs during taxi. When taxying off a spot, we use a 10% technique for breakaway thrust. You take your total weight in pounds, I.E 560K, and use 10% of it. So 560K would be 56% N1 on 1 and 3. You will hear 10% a lot throughout this document. In the DC10, we only started 1 and 3 when below 500K. When above 500K, we start 2, but all ways leave it at idle. The number 2 is pointed downward. This causes some serious issues. 1 and 3 have the ground to disperse some of the thrust, but 2 is unabated. It’s been known to flip small aircraft, implode 2 story buildings and turn over stands/equipment. For this reason, we leave it at idle during taxi. Being heavy makes this a major concern. We start engines and set 10% of gross weight on 1 and 2 then wait. After a moment, she will slowly start moving. In the real world, when sitting over long hours at heavy weight, the tires gain flat spots. This will make breakaway a little more difficult. It’s not uncommon to hear the takeoff warning when overcoming flat spots, but you add power in very slow increments until it finally moves and cut the power. You will feel the plane jostle for a bit while taxying until the flat spots work themselves out. Dropping flaps will also help deflect some of your thrust. Just be careful, I’ve seen man hole covers flipped up from DC10s when using too much thrust.

 

During takeoff, you will notice the weight during rotate. The heavy jet requires a little more pull to get the 3 to 4 degrees per second for rotate. The pitch required for V2+10 is a little lower. In flight, speed changes have to be thought out and anticipated. All ways move the throttles in knob length. If you are making a speed change, wiggle the throttles forward about the length of a throttle knob. Let it sit. If it doesn’t respond, add in another half of knob. Once speed increases, take half of that input out. It becomes a finesse job at speed control. Even when making large speed changes, use minimum throttle movement. Large inputs lead to over shoots and throttle cycling. You should also apply the same in control input. Small inputs and small corrections. This leads to smoother control. On approach, set the power and forget it. On approach, I use the 10% plus 23 rule (DC10). 400K = 40 + 23 = 63. With pounds, this is easy to figure out. Once on approach and configured, do the math using 10% of your gross weight. Take N1% to maintain approach speed and minus the 10%. So if my MD11 was 430K and 69% held my approach speed. 69 – 43 = 26. So 10% of weight + 26 is a good power setting on approach. This is key because throttle cycle leads to pitch changes, which leads to being unstable. These days, pitch and power doesn’t work as well in jets.

 

For example, if you are low on the glideslope, adding power in jet aircraft will cause you to get fast. Now you are low and fast. Then you will start to climb and have to pull that power which will get you slow and high. This works well in prop aircraft, but not as effective. It’s better to just set the power and trim for approach. If you get low, add a little light back pressure. As you correct back, relax the pressure. Initially, you will get a couple of knots slow. As you relax the pressure to capture, the plane naturally wants to fly the slope if properly trimmed. The speed will naturally correct back to approach speed. That’s the key to a stable approach. No rush to correct, just use slight corrections and apply them early. With my forearms on the armrests and using my fingertips, I can do this for ever.

 

In the flare, at high landing weights, the plane again reacts slower. Again, we use the 10% rule. We start the flare at 10% of our gross weight in pounds. 400K = 40ft. So at the 40ft call out, start your flare and power pull. This assists with the inertia involved in heavier landings. Basically, at heavy weights, the power has to be pulled early. This is because the heavier jet takes time to disperse energy and airspeed. At lighter weights, the power is left in longer because a lighter jet will respond quicker. The 10% technique keeps your flare and power pull at the optimum height. Your flare rate will be based on the radar altimeter call outs. The normal body attitude on a 3 degree path with flaps 35 is 4.5 degrees. The 2 to 3 degree flare change have you up towards 8 degrees. At this attitude, your eye position is high and it’s hard to judge sink rate with the lack of visual cues. You basically look further down the runway, use your peripheral view and flare on the call outs. The rate of the callouts will tell you how fast you are sinking. After a few landings, you will learn the cadence for a good landing. If I were to put it in graphical form, it may look like this.

 

Typical good landing: 50..40..30…20….10….touch. Typical hard landing: 50.40.30.20..10..touch. Typical float: 50..40…30….20….10……….touch. Typical float with hard: 50..40….30…………20..10.touch. The issue with float in this plane is that when it runs out of airspeed, it drops in firmly. A well planned and executed approach will ease the landing. At 300ft agl, you want to be on path, speed, aligned and stable. We call it being in the slot. At the 100ft callout, the threshold should disappear below the glare shield. Targeting a greaser will get you in trouble. At heavy weight landings, the approach speed can be as high as 155 kts. At these speeds, you use a lot of real-estate. You want to consistently put this plane down around the 1500 to 2000ft point. It’s a long bodied jet so use the long body visual indicators or a combination of white and pink. Shooting for white and red can lead to trouble. Remember, the threshold crossing height is based on the glide slope antennae. In these planes, it’s in the nose. A TCH of 52ft means your nose is crossing at 52ft, imagine where the gear crosses. For this reason, we use long body or white and pink. For example, 3 whites and 1 pink. Your aim point should be beyond the big captain bars aiming 1500 to 1800 down. 1500ft down and a normal flare will put you 1500ft to 2000ft down.

 

As stated before, the light jet are more responsive. It doesn’t take long to respond to throttle input. Treat it the same as the heavy jet and move the throttles in knobs of power. At light weight, the jet may accelerate during taxi. You can alleviate this issue by delaying start of the #2 engine before takeoff and shutting it down after landing. Just remember 5 minutes at idle before takeoff and 3 minutes at idle before shut down. The medium weight jet is just a combination of the other types. You can apply the techniques for the others and this will keep your flying consistent.

 

Now that we have a feel of the aircraft, let’s perform a proficiency flight. This flight should expose you to the different aspects of managing and flying the aircraft. Again, it would be very prudent to read the FMS guide and get very familiar with the automation. Let’s start by moving the aircraft to KMHT. The plan for to do is to depart KMHT for KPVD.  We will shoot the GPS 23 Y, LOC 23 to a missed approach, VOR/DME 16 circle to RWY 23, ILS 23 to an manual go around and 2 VFR patterns to a full stop. The flight over to KPVD is short. This is a good opportunity to plan and manage the arrival. Load the aircraft up to 400,000 pounds. Depart the runway of your choice. The cruising altitude will be up to you.

 

For simplicity and ease, choose an altitude below 10,000ft. For a challenge, select an altitude above 10,000ft. The key point here is managing the FMS. Every real world system I’ve flown was very good at speed management for departure and arrivals. The PMDG FMS gets a little quirky in this realm. It will calculate departure speeds and then suddenly realize the arrival speeds and put you far behind. Real world systems have a digital performance manual, so to speak, to calculate aircraft requirements. Even real world aircraft may have some minor issues when flying complex arrivals with hard altitudes and varying descent angles to waypoints. To help yourself, you have to be familiar with the capability of the aircraft and FMS so that you can intervene. You can set speeds at waypoints to control how fast the aircraft transitions through points. The biggest barrier is the 10,000ft point.

A few things should happen at 10,000ft. Lights and speed reduction are couple. I typically used 4 x my altitude to lose for descent planning. For example, to be at 3000ft for an approach, I have to lose 20,000ft. 4x20 is 80. I need to start down no later than 80 nm remaining. Using 4 x my altitude to lose allows slowing prior to 10,000ft. I use the 13 at 13 technique. I set a vert speed of 1300 feet per minute at 13,000ft. This routinely results in reaching 250 by 10,000ft. After 10,000ft, you can only do 1500 feet per minute and keep 250kts.

 

For our setup, let’s set the first waypoint to FEDED at 2300ft. Since it’s difficult to slow a heavy down while descending, you always want to be configured and on speed by the FAF. Since FEDED has a constant descent down to the FAF, let’s plan to be at FEDED at approach speed and fully configured. This should assist the FMS in calculating speeds along the fight path.

Once you are ready, start engines and taxi. It’s a good idea to set your guidance panel up for automation. I would select Auto flight (AT) and PROF to your chosen altitude. This will ensure that the throttles engage on takeoff and that the system transitions at accel height. Commence the takeoff and get going towards FEDED. Once cleaned up appropriately and on your way, we should check our progress. If you went the easy route staying below 10,000ft, you only need to judge the slow down and configure point. If you are above 10,000ft, this will all come quickly. Idle thrust will get you about 300 feet per mile on the descent. Spoilers, gear and slats will get you 150 feet per mile each. So your best would be idle, slats and spoilers. This is about 600 feet per NM. Use this chart found in US FLIPs to calculate a descent rate. Use feet per mile and move right to your ground speed. This will give you an idea of your capability.    

 

 

                When really behind, I like to get slats out quickly (below 280kts). Once below 255kts, I trade the brakes for flaps 15. Once below 210, I select flaps 28. You will have to use the flap selector wheel for flaps 15. If still behind, you have the gear also. Let’s look at configuring.

 

Once below 10,000ft, I like to hang my slats. This gives me an extra 150ft per mile on top of my 1500 per minute clean for 250. Once on course intercept, select flaps 28 and 180. In our case, we want to reach FEDED at 145, gear down and flaps 35. If not done all ready, load the GPS 23 Y. We are CAT D so use those mins. Fly it how you want, But I would go for LNAV/VNAV with a derived decision altitude. LNAV/VNAV mins are 346 so throw 50 feet on top for 396. We will use 400. Put this in your BARO and MIN PROF ALT. In the DDA, the extra 50ft prevents us from going below minimums in the event we go missed (50ft loss).

 

Continue the approach all the way down and perform a touch and go. Take note of your approach speed. Local climb out will be RWY heading to 1900ft. Use light corrections and aim to keep the runway between the PFD and MAP. If you have crosswinds, keep the runway in one spot and use the track indicator to keep you tracking. You can use the AP/AT as long as you want. Have everything off by 100ft. In crosswinds, use your choice. I prefer wing low starting at 300ft to get warmed up. On a 3.0 path, you should see a pitch of about 4.5 to 5.0. Remember, white and pinkish for the visual path. Aim 1500ft down and you should hear the 100ft call out as the threshold falls below the glare shield. This is a short runway, this will come fast. At 10% of your gross weight in pounds or 30 to 40ft, reduce to idle and raise the nose 2 degrees. Greater than 7 degrees and you will float. Ensure your nose is aligned with the runway. Your rate of flare should be based on the rate of call outs. As the mains touch down, bring throttles up to the 12 o clock position and lower the nose. Select flaps to 28 and trim into the green. Advance power to 100% select toga and rotate no less than your approach speed. Once off the ground, select gear up after positive climb. Maintain 1900ft and accel up to 180 to 200kts.

 

Now is a good time to reset the FMS. You can utilize new destination or alternate from the FMS guide. Once you re-init, load the LOC 23. You will self vector yourself to intercept the LOC at CUSKA. In the FMS, you need to set minimum PROF to 600 to operate in LOC mode. Set your BARO to 600. This approach has timing for your missed approach point. You will have to calculate your ground speed on the approach to find your timing. For example, I’m using 140kts for ground speed. At CUSKA, I will hack the clock and I should reach the MAP 2 minutes and 27 seconds. This will be an auto go around so leave the AP on all the way down. You can set 600 in the guidance panel and PROF down or use vert speed to get down. At our weight, vert speed should be 750 to 800 feet per minute. At 600 feet  and 2 + 27, hit the TOGA button and call for flaps 28. At positive rate, get the gear up. Set the altitude window to 2200 and head direct to HEFTY and hold. You can use the FMS guide procedures to re-init and load VOR DME 16 with holding at HEFTY. This is a good time to check the APP plate to ensure the hold is set correctly. You can fly this however you want. In the real world, the NAVAID will tend to swing course guidance causing some adjustments. To be honest, I will fly it in FMS. Just tune up the NAVAID for raw monitoring, DME and as a back up. This is a planned circle so note the minimums of 620 and 2 miles. At any event you go missed, remember that you will have to fly the VOR 16 MISSED procedures so review them. Once you are all set up, commence the APP. For ease, over fly the runway and hack a timer after crossing 23’s center line. At 15 seconds, make a left turn into downwind for 23. Adjust for winds. Our circling area must not exceed 3.6 miles since our minimums is 1000 or less. For a challenge, start your circle at 3.6 from runway 16 into a right hand traffic pattern for 23. I advise to perform this with heading select and ALT hold with the AP on. Fly the visually once you are in position for the landing. Again, perform the touch and go and climb to 1900. Self vector yourself for the ILS 23.

 

You can either keep note of your APP speed or perform another re-init of the FMS. Once you are all setup, intercept and fly the ILS. At 250 baro, perfom a manual go around and enter the left traffic pattern for 23 up to 1000ft. Keep in mind all of the info I gave you about the behavior of the aircraft. For the traffic pattern, fly no faster than 180kts. Fly the pattern with flaps 28. Make sure to give yourself good displacement for downwind. Keep a drift killed heading. Once you are abeam the threshold, select gear down. When a line drawn from your left shoulder at a 45 degree angle touches the approach end of the runway, start your turn. The trick for traffic patterns is to be half way down about half way around. So at 1000ft traffic pattern, you are looking to be about 500ft halfway through the turn. This takes about 300 to 500 feet per minute during the turn. Again, adjust for under shooting or over shooting winds. Half way around, drop flaps to 35 and slow to approach speed. Your aimpoint should be 1500 feet down the runway. Speed control is vital. Use the techniques I gave you for proper power settings and stability. Perform a touch and go and repeat. For this final approach, use flaps 50 to get an idea of their effect. In the real aircraft, you start to feel a low vibration in the airframe as the barn doors reach full. 50 only changes the speed 5kts and reduces the pitch to about 3 degrees. The aircraft will slow a lot quicker when power is reduced. Delay flaps 50 until rolled out on final. After touch down, smoothly fly the nose down and apply max reverse. The reversers on these planes are most effective at high speeds so get them out quickly. The real aircraft requires some slight forward pressure on the yoke. The spoilers causes the real aircraft to pitch up when they reach the 2/3 position on touch down. Once the nose hits, they will go to full. This is why some forward pressure is required.

 

This flight should get you familiar and some proficiency with the aircraft. Mix it up and fly a pro sortie every now and then. Hope you enjoy, we will see you next time.

I didn't mean to imply the aircraft was unsuitable for hand flying, it just didn't like it. I fly B777, B757, B747, L1011, EMB175/195, B727, Kingair C90, C208, for Delta and FedEx virtuals, usually at or near max landing weight. So I really can't compare what landing an MD11 with less than maximum is like. But heavy is tough.

Rick, do you happen to have take off performance charts for DC10 to see some Flex temps/ vspeeds numbers which you could share?

 

Regards,

 

Kris

 

 

So I really can't compare what landing an MD11 with less than maximum is like. But heavy is tough.

 

The heavier the aircraft the more I feel the aircraft behind me.  

 

I had an FO who best described flying the MD-11 - "It's like my ex, fun to fly but unforgiving."   :smile: 

 

blaustern