Dave,Nah I'm not a pilot at all.. but I always find reading about engineering issues is interesting.. and I share your enthusiasm for the MD-11.. I can't wait to get my hands on the PMDG release either.. Should be brilliant.. this was just a friendly informative and interesting discussion about the planes history..Like lots of airliners.. some are successful.. some aren't so successful, and the MD-11 flirts with the latter.. BUT.. often this has no impact on their popularity when in the company of enthusiasts and real MD-11 pilots... that's what this hobby is all about! The MD-11 will more than likely be the last hi-tech tri-jet.. and for that reason alone.. it'll always be ranked highly by enthusiasts and simmers..CheersCraig

>This whole discussion about the quirks of the MD-11 has>boosted my interest in this aircraft, it looks very>interesting to fly :D It is, simply because its so different. The MD-11 was the latest and greatest from McDonnell Douglas regarding cockpit design and philosophy, toping everything they'd done until then, better than any MD-90 or MD-95 / B717.The MD-11's flight deck has some jaw-dropping features that will make every flight sim enthusiast enjoy that bird even if they didn't know the MD-11 before, just because it is so different from the long range Airbusses and Boeings. Some aspects of the cockpit philosophy are much more advanced compared to an A340 or a B747-400. Others of course are quite stone-aged, like the rattly spoiler- and flaps levers ;)If you want to know more to further boost your interest just go ahead and ask! :)Regards,Markus

I appreciate all the work that PMDG has done in the past and also the current efforts being applied to upcoming aircraft. I also cannot wait for the MD-11 and will without a doubt purchase it, however, in my opinion only, I would have liked to have had the 737NGX completed before the MD-11. My reasons are that when I fly on most airliners today which is quite frequently, the vast majority are the 737NG's. I have acquired many hours in the real NG simulator and appreciate the hard work that the PMDG team has accomplished in this regard. For without their development and subsequent software masterpiece, I would have had a very rough 'go' of it accruing those hours without prior familiarization made possible by this incredible product. My hats off to the PMDG team and only hope that upon completion of the MD that they concentrate on the NGX. This aircraft will not be seen in any graveyards in my lifetime....There probably isn't a landmass that would be big enough to store them all.Just my 2 cents.Regards,jack

>>If you want to know more to further boost your interest just>go ahead and ask! :)>>Regards,>MarkusI do! What exactly is that dial-a-flap thing?Thanks!

How long do you all think the DC-10-MD-11 will still be flying?I hope it is a long time:)

Gavin,dial-a-flap has a long tradition on Douglas aircraft. However it is not used to its full capability as often as one would think.What it does it lets you select any degree of flaps setting for take-off, ranging from 10 to 25 degrees of flaps.The idea is to give each operator the possibility to choose their own settings for take-off depending on their usual weights, locations and so on. Now many airlines have found a setting they use as standard. A lot of them use 15

Obviously the MD-11 will continue flying longer than the DC-10, however both are built to last forever. Douglas fuselages are known to be built like tanks, evident by that huge amount of DC-9-30, DC-8 and DC-10 still flying in hundreds around the world.Being built the same way you can expect to see the MD-11 flying long after those three. Last I've heard is that KLM will keep their MD-11 in PAX service until 2012, that's five yours from now. So I expect the MD-11 to haul cargo for AT LEAST another 10 years from now...But you never know... The MD-11F is indeed getting a competition right now, from the B777LRF so there might be a few cargo airlines swapping their three holers for twins. In any way their will be others immediately picking up those MD-11F as it is certainly not cheap to get a shiny new B777 freighter.Best regards,Markus

>Gavin,>>dial-a-flap has a long tradition on Douglas aircraft. However>it is not used to its full capability as often as one would>think.>What it does it lets you select any degree of flaps setting>for take-off, ranging from 10 to 25 degrees of flaps.>The idea is to give each operator the possibility to choose>their own settings for take-off depending on their usual>weights, locations and so on. Now many airlines have found a>setting they use as standard. A lot of them use 15

Well we know Fed Ex is buying some 777s,I wonder if they will retire either the DC-10 or MD-11 or some of each..

Have you guys seen this,simply awsome.Would make a great Fed Ex commercial too..http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=17...earch&plindex=7

If they do not use the B777 for expansion one would guess they'd replace those DC-10 which were not converted to an MD-10 first.I've heard of some big retrofitting plans for the MD-11s with FedEx, that they want to euqip the MD-11 fleet with HUDs and EFB eventually... If those plans are indeed still valid one would think the planes have a long future with FedEx...Regards,Markus

>Thanks! Interesting - so do I understand correctly that it's>like a pre-select function?Correct, you select what setting you want and place the flaps lever into the dial-a-flap detent afterwards...Regards,Markus

Markus-I understand that to mean- you preselect flap extension, position the lever to dial-a-flap and then as the air data and sensed airspeed get to specific detent extension speeds the flaps extend automatically to the selected max. Is that correct?For example, at top of descent planning on a Flaps 30/ 160Kts final, you could go ahead and select Flaps 30 and place the lever in dial-a-flap- then as the airspeed and alt limitations were achieved, the flaps would extend on correect schedule all the way to full 30. Is that correct? Wow- simple!Thanks for clarifying.Best-Carl F. Avari-Cooper BAW0225http://online.vatsimindicators.net/980091/523.png

>Markus->>I understand that to mean- you preselect flap extension,>position the lever to dial-a-flap and then as the air data and>sensed airspeed get to specific detent extension speeds the>flaps extend automatically to the selected max. Is that>correct?>>For example, at top of descent planning on a Flaps 30/ 160Kts>final, you could go ahead and select Flaps 30 and place the>lever in dial-a-flap- then as the airspeed and alt limitations>were achieved, the flaps would extend on correect schedule all>the way to full 30. Is that correct? Wow- simple!>>Thanks for clarifying.>>Best->>Carl F. Avari-Cooper BAW0225>http://online.vatsimindicators.net/980091/523.pngMarcusI'm presuming the same as Carl.Thanks!

I believe all the dial-a-flap notch is, is another notch for you to place the flap lever in. It's not automatic, you still have to place the lever in each notch. IIRC the MD-11 has 6 notches. Up, 0 which is slats only, dial-a-flap, which uses whatever you have selected, 28, 35, and 50.I'm sure Markus can explain it much better than I, but that's how I understand it.