The PMDG MD11: First Look

[Wolfgang Lang 17]

hahahaha great

[F.Alonso22 4]

Looks great. I cant wait for the first Airbus

[Guest Enders]

I was woundering, will the function that let's the maincenter gear retracted when you switch to gear down be availeble?Regards

[Bill Grabowski 0]

>I was woundering, will the function that let's the maincenter>gear retracted when you switch to gear down be availeble?Yes.

[Guest A32X]

Why would you not want to lower the maincenter gear ?Thanks,Paul

[Guest A32X]

Just did a little search - apparently it reduces drag on E/O landings.Here's a picture;http://www.airliners.net/open.file/0595023/L/

[Guest Enders]

got your answer?

[BAW277 1]

Hi Bill,What the heck are you talking about? Isn

[Guest Enders]

>Hi Bill,>>What the heck are you talking about? Isn

[Guest FlyMD11.nl]

Hello MD11-fans!Yup, you can leave the center gear retracted upon landing. It pennalties you landing weight considerably. Normally MLAW is 199600 KGs but with center-gear retracted MLAW is 181400 KGs. So normally a procedure you don't want (The MLAW is even under the MZFW of 186000KGs).So when would you do it?Well a reason I can think off (After consulting the manual!!! hehe) is that you do it when there is a gear-unsafe situation. It is recommended/required even in all cases of unsafe main-gear. The reason is/could be this. When for instance your left main-gear is unsafe and you would attempt a landing with your center-gear extended and upon touchdown the left main-gear collapses, you will pivot around the center-gear. A lot (if not almost all) weigt will be bearing down on the center gear. This will produce some nasty effects like center-gears snapping out of their fittings and rocketing into the cabin! We don't want that![speculation] I have even heared a story of other aircraft without a button to cancel center-gear extension, that they have to re-seat passengers above the struts to prevent injuries![/speculation]Regards!RemcoPS. The mentioned MLAW's and MZFW are KLM's weights. The gear can withstand more KGs but this requires heavier maintenance and KLM did not need this extra weight. Hence lower certified Max Weights. (Structural design MLAW is 208000KGs)

[FlyinIron406 3]

A tear has come to my eye....

[Guest howard500]

WOW! The things you learn! I had no clue that the center gear had this function, or should I say "disfunction". Seriously, this explains a lot. Long ago, I saw a DC-10 at Geneva that was missing its center gear and couldnt understand what was going on, it so happened that I saw it on the takeoff roll of my own flight so I have always doubted if i saw good! Now i know better! he heAnyway, out of curiosity does the 340 family also have this ability?Regards,Alonso

[Guest Enders]

Hmm good question, I would not be surprised if they have

[Guest matsuman]

Simply amazing !!!!Man...I wish you guys do the Triple Seven.Thanks,Kin M.(Klax)

[mburkhard 23]

>Seriously, this explains a lot. Long ago, I saw a DC-10 at Geneva that>was missing its center gear and couldnt understand what was>going on, it so happened that I saw it on the takeoff roll of>my own flight so I have always doubted if i saw good! Now i>know better! he heActually the earlier models of the DC-10 (-10 and -15 series) had no centre main gear. That was added with the -30 and was kept right through the MD-11.Regards,Markus