Insert Vertical Speed........or not?

[Guest cliffie1931]

In the last stages of the MD-11 Tutorial, after leaving GTQ my Flight Plan requires me to descend from a cruise altitude of 20,000 ft to 15,000 ft at BLM.By that stage I had already set, as instructed in the Tutorial, 4,000 ft in the Autoflight panel.At GTQ, if I understand correctly, I should insert a vertical descent speed and I do so at a rate of 1,500 ft. The aircraft begins it's descent but continues descending down to 4,000 ft despite the Flight Plan requirements.1.Is it up to me to use the Autoflight Panel to change altitude in accordance with the Flight Plan?2.Should the aircraft not change altitude automatically to match the requirements of the flight Plan?Cliff

[downscc 1,327]

I think the intro explains that you are going to let the autopilot take her all the way down to landing. No, do not insert a V/S value because this will take it out of PROF mode. Just let otto take care of the descent and landing. All you need to do is decrease the altitude setting as instructed, without pushing or pulling the knob. The annunciation above the altitude tape should stay magenta until glide slope intercept.

[Guest cliffie1931]

Hah! As simple as that. Thanks pal.Cliff

[Guest cliffie1931]

I think the intro explains that you are going to let the autopilot take her all the way down to landing. No, do not insert a V/S value because this will take it out of PROF mode. Just let otto take care of the descent and landing. All you need to do is decrease the altitude setting as instructed, without pushing or pulling the knob. The annunciation above the altitude tape should stay magenta until glide slope intercept.

My posting of a few minutes ago mentions an attachment. Unfortunately it went off before I could figure out how to include that attachment. It's now included with this.Cliff

[Mats_J 2]

Cliff,From your screenshot I can see that you are in altitude hold mode. And the white 20.045 ft tells you it is not part of the FMC flight plan. Dial the FCP altitude window down to 15000 and engage PROF mode you'll see you'll get her down. IIRC if you follow the tutorial to the letter you should not be ending with AP modes like what you are showing. 'Do it again!' :( Hope it helps,

[Guest cliffie1931]

Cliff,From your screenshot I can see that you are in altitude hold mode. And the white 20.045 ft tells you it is not part of the FMC flight plan. Dial the FCP altitude window down to 15000 and engage PROF mode you'll see you'll get her down. IIRC if you follow the tutorial to the letter you should not be ending with AP modes like what you are showing. 'Do it again!' :( Hope it helps,

Thanks for the tip Mats. I'll try again.Cliff