Spoilers Not Deploying

[rooster hancock 2003 38]

Sorry to all concerned as I know this is a time for lots of annoying questions due to unread manuals, however, I have read everything I can and cannot solve this problem. I am arming the spoilers on approach by right clicking (raising) the spoiler lever but when I touch down and reverse thrust they remain down. I would point out that I do have a CH throttle quadrant but I dont think this is the issue as it functions flawlessly with all other aircraft inc PMDG's. If I have missed somthing I apologise in advance but I would be grateful for some help here. Thank you PMDG for a fantastic aircraft once again.Best regardsMalcolm Hancock (Rooster)

[Ephemeral 11]

Sorry to all concerned as I know this is a time for lots of annoying questions due to unread manuals, however, I have read everything I can and cannot solve this problem. I am arming the spoilers on approach by right clicking (raising) the spoiler lever but when I touch down and reverse thrust they remain down. I would point out that I do have a CH throttle quadrant but I dont think this is the issue as it functions flawlessly with all other aircraft inc PMDG's. If I have missed somthing I apologise in advance but I would be grateful for some help here. Thank you PMDG for a fantastic aircraft once again.Best regardsMalcolm Hancock (Rooster)

A picture of your panel a few seconds from touchdown may help...If it is not a hardware/software issue, perhaps you are not meeting the requirements of the MD-11s "auto-spoiler" logic. The auto ground spoilers will deploy during landing when all of the following conditions are met:1. Two or more Main Landing Gear (MLG) wheel speeds exceed 80 knots.2. Radio altitude is less than 7 feet and one radio altimeter is valid.3. Average flap position is greater than 31.5 degrees.4. Both flaps, or one flap and the flap handle positions are valid.5. Three or more wheel speed transducers are valid.The auto ground spoilers will deploy to the 30 degree position initially when MLG wheel spinup occurs and the above conditions are met; then, they will deploy fully to the 60 degree position at Nose Landing Gear (NLG) touchdown.If the throttles are not retarded to below 46 to 49 degrees Throttle Resolver Angle (TRA) during landing, the assumption is that go-around power is being applied, so the ground spoilers must be retracted immediately to safely facilitate the rejected landing/go around maneuver.

[Orlaam 306]

Maybe you weren't idle in your hardware throttle setting? Mine deployed perfectly on TD. Just make sure your throttle is set to idle and you aren't getting spikes or inputs that would prevent brakes and spoilers.You also might have an axis assigned that's interfering with it. Like an FSUIPC mapped axis.

[rooster hancock 2003 38]

Thank you for your quick replies , I appreciate it. I think the one thing I have not done correctly is set my landing altitude. I will take another look and report back.Many thanks gentlemen.Malcolm Hancock (Rooster)

[mfrantz 45]

Thank you for your quick replies , I appreciate it. I think the one thing I have not done correctly is set my landing altitude. I will take another look and report back.Many thanks gentlemen.Malcolm Hancock (Rooster)

Malcolm,Are you getting any "Spoiler not deployed" or "Spoilers deployed" F/O callouts at landing? Setting the landing altitude (I guess you are getting a relevant amber warning on the EAD) has nothing to do with that. This is required only for cabin pressure altitude calculations. Since you are getting this alert ("landing altitude") I understand that you have not set up the FMS and you are flying with no flight plan. Is this true? Normally this should not be a problem with spoilers deployment, however under some conditions it might interfere (it shouldn't but it might; this is a possible bug that we will investigate). Try setting at least the origin/destination and a CRZ level in the MCDU F-PLN INIT page. Spikes from the throttle axis can also interfere with the AGS logic, but in this case the spoilers would deploy anyway, and the retract if some throttle is detected.

[rooster hancock 2003 38]

Thanks for your input Michael. I must confess that I have not programmed in a proper flight as yet. I am "going around the block" at 3,000' at KSEA getting the feel of the aircraft. Also I know this is a not reading the manual thing, so sorry, but I cannot see where you enter the landing alt, is it in the fmc? :( Thanks again MichaelMalcolm

[rooster hancock 2003 38]

Sorry Michael forgot to say not getting any F/O callouts at all regarding spoilers up or down. He's a talkative chap otherwise though. :( ThanksMalcolm

[mfrantz 45]

Thanks for your input Michael. I must confess that I have not programmed in a proper flight as yet. I am "going around the block" at 3,000' at KSEA getting the feel of the aircraft. Also I know this is a not reading the manual thing, so sorry, but I cannot see where you enter the landing alt, is it in the fmc? :( Thanks again MichaelMalcolm

If you enter a flight plan or at least origin/destination airports on the MCDU F-PLN INIT page the CABIN PRES system will get the landing altitude from the FMS and the message will go way. No entry is required in this case. Otherwise (no flight plan entered) the landing altitude should be manually set by rotating the relevant knob on the overhead CABIN PRES panel.

[rooster hancock 2003 38]

Hi Michael.Ok I have just completed the tutorial flight EGLL to LSZH in every detail. The good news is the spoilers deployed on landing, the bad news is that I like to watch my landings from external view and strangely they did not deploy in action replay mode. Don't know if its relevant or not but I have this problem with another companys E-Jet thrust reverser doors not opening in action replay mode. I was wondering if you have any further thoughts on this Sir.Many thanksMalcolm

[Guest ashwath]

Hi Michael.Ok I have just completed the tutorial flight EGLL to LSZH in every detail. The good news is the spoilers deployed on landing, the bad news is that I like to watch my landings from external view and strangely they did not deploy in action replay mode. Don't know if its relevant or not but I have this problem with another companys E-Jet thrust reverser doors not opening in action replay mode. I was wondering if you have any further thoughts on this Sir.Many thanksMalcolm

hi,i have the same problem too. i like to watch my replays from outside. spoilers deploy properly in real time mode but do not deploy during the replay phase. i think this is linked to the fact that FS recorder or FSX recorder do not record and replay back the flap settings, autopilot settings, stabiliser trim settings, etc. properly. even while watching the replay i guess u have to manually set ur flaps to the take off or landing position (depending on phase of flight) in order to get everything working properly i guess. try it out.regards,Ashwath.

[rooster hancock 2003 38]

Hi AshwathSo if I understand you correctly you are saying at the start of the replay mode go into the flightdeck and re-arm the spoilers before returning to spot view. I will give it a go but how come this is not a problem with the Boeings.Thanks for your input by the way I will report back.Regards Malcolm

[rooster hancock 2003 38]

Hi Ashwath (and anyone else reading this)I have tried your suggestion of resetting spoilers during start of action reply but no joy I'm afraid. I also happened to notice somthing else though. The beacon and strobes do not function in action replay either. Perhaps someone from PMDG may have some thoughts on this or anyone really.Many thanksMalcolm Hancock (Rooster)

[Guest ashwath]

Hi Ashwath (and anyone else reading this)I have tried your suggestion of resetting spoilers during start of action reply but no joy I'm afraid. I also happened to notice somthing else though. The beacon and strobes do not function in action replay either. Perhaps someone from PMDG may have some thoughts on this or anyone really.Many thanksMalcolm Hancock (Rooster)

hi malcolm,spoilers are one thing that will not work even if u configure it properly while starting the replay. i too have this problem. but this problem is not there in the pmdg 747x, dunno y it is so...may be because it uses a different logic. as far as the take off replay is concerned in the pmdg md11 u have to set the take off flaps, stabiliser trim and landing gear manually just after the replay has started or else while u accelerate down the runway u'll hear an annoying "full left...left...stabilizer" announcement. however; while watching a replay with the pmdg 747 u have to set only the flaps manually while watching the replay. no problem with 747 spoilers. i think a sophisticated recorder for add-on aircraft would do the job. FS recorder or default FSX recorder just do not suffice.regards,Ashwath.

[Ralgh 43]

I am having the same problem as Malcolm with the FS9 MD-11 but only some of the time. Sometimes the speedbrakes deploy and other times they don't. I do get the FO callouts. The FMS is programmed properly. I can't seem to find any common issue for the times that they don't deploy. All other aircraft, which includes several addon planes, work properly.

[Ralgh 43]

I have been doing some testing with this and have found something. I am using the CH Throttle Quadrant. I have it calibrated through FSUIPC with a little dead zone at the bottom end of travel. For those not familiar with the CH TQ there are two detents at the low end of travel that register as key presses that you can assign. I have the first one assigned to F1 so when I reach that detent all the throttles will go to idle. The second one is F2 so I can get into reverse. I have checked in the CH Control Manager and in the FSUIPC calibration to see if there is any spiking with my throttles and there is definitely none at all. Next I went out and made several landings. I tried retarding the throttles at 100ft radio altitude on some and below 50ft radio altitude on others. What I found was that every time I retarded the throttles at 100ft the spoilers deployed normally. Every time I waited until below 50ft they did not deploy. I took screen shots at touch down and the only thing I can see is that when I retarded at 100ft the engines had pretty much reached idle and matched up with the "T" on the outside of the N1 gauge that shows where the throttle position is. On the landings where I retarded throttles below 50ft the engines had not spooled all the way down yet. Based on what I have seen it seems there is a correlation between engines not being at idle, even if the throttle levers are at idle, and the spoilers not deploying. Below are two screen shots. The top one is where I retarded throttles at 100ft and the spoilers worked and the bottom one is where I retarded them at 30ft and they didn't work.