Hi,Been playing around with the MD-11 in FS9 for a while know. I tried the tutorial EGLL-LZSH and it went pretty well.However I just tried I EHAM-TNCM and I had a few problems. I was on VATSIM. (Yes, I do realise it's a bit stupid to fly an 8 hour flight with ATC when I only have about 1 hour on the thing)Using the manual I was able to program the CDU properly. I might of had a few problems with the fuel managing though, I just guessed a random number. I have read somewhere else on this forum that the FMC has a built in fuel calculator? How can I use this?Anyway, it all seemed right. Just after take-off :It can't be seen on the shot but the flight director pitched up WAY to hard. I heard the stall warning a few times and got the PROTECTION message on the autothrottle side of the PFD. I must have set something wrong. The stalling stopped when I pressed the FMS-SPD button.. however I didn't recall seeing this in the manual so I don't know why I had to press it.The climb and cruise went fine. I programmed in a VOR approach into runway 10 at TNCM, using a STAR that I have forgotten the name now.Stuff became odd when ATC on VATSIM asked me to proceed direct PJM.I'm a 747 guy, not used to these MD's. I figured it out after a while, pressing the DIR something button on the CDU (the top-left one) and pressing PJM. The T/D which was originally in 20 miles or so disappeared. So I thought I would have gone passed it. But no, even though the FCP alt was set to 5k as San Juan center had told me to, it was not descending, even pressing the prof button. The CDU suddenly said NO DESTINATION. But there is a destination! I confirmed on several pages that RW10 was in there, and the alts where bringing me down.I just pulled the altitude button, that brought me down, but not on profile...Then came the approach issue. I was planning on flaps 35. On the T/O APP page, I didn't know what to do. Was I supposed to enter the landing weight? Where can I get it? Anyway, I pressed on the 35/(something I forgot) flaps and it said NOT ALLOWED.I just thought oh well, Ill take the speed manually and fly it using the airspeed indicator, Ill use the stall speed and maximum speed to choose a good speed between the two.That gave me a landing speed of 169 knots, isn't that a bit high? Of course I 'made up' this number, bu looking at the airspeed bar, the yellow zone (stall speed?) was at about 160 knots, which means no lower than 160 I should go. This is odd, I wasn't that heavy.I think that sums it up.. what do you think?Thanks,

I'm a 747 guy, not used to these MD's. I figured it out after a while, pressing the DIR something button on the CDU (the top-left one) and pressing PJM. The T/D which was originally in 20 miles or so disappeared. So I thought I would have gone passed it. But no, even though the FCP alt was set to 5k as San Juan center had told me to, it was not descending, even pressing the prof button. The CDU suddenly said NO DESTINATION. But there is a destination! I confirmed on several pages that RW10 was in there, and the alts where bringing me down.I just pulled the altitude button, that brought me down, but not on profile...Then came the approach issue. I was planning on flaps 35. On the T/O APP page, I didn't know what to do. Was I supposed to enter the landing weight? Where can I get it? Anyway, I pressed on the 35/(something I forgot) flaps and it said NOT ALLOWED.I just thought oh well, Ill take the speed manually and fly it using the airspeed indicator, Ill use the stall speed and maximum speed to choose a good speed between the two.That gave me a landing speed of 169 knots, isn't that a bit high? Of course I 'made up' this number, bu looking at the airspeed bar, the yellow zone (stall speed?) was at about 160 knots, which means no lower than 160 I should go. This is odd, I wasn't that heavy.I think that sums it up.. what do you think?Thanks,

I deleted the stuff I can't answer for whatever reasons, however, on the to/appr page, the flaps for landing is automatically set to 35. Pressing 35 again does nothing, which probably explains the "not allowed" message. Landing weight is also done for you and can be found on the weight init page and the perf page if memory serves me right.169 does seem high, I usually get anywhere between 150-160 but I do often fly light. I'm sorry I can't be of any more help but I'm sure if you persist you'll find yourself a happy home in the MD pit.James A.

I deleted the stuff I can't answer for whatever reasons, however, on the to/appr page, the flaps for landing is automatically set to 35. Pressing 35 again does nothing, which probably explains the "not allowed" message. Landing weight is also done for you and can be found on the weight init page and the perf page if memory serves me right.169 does seem high, I usually get anywhere between 150-160 but I do often fly light. I'm sorry I can't be of any more help but I'm sure if you persist you'll find yourself a happy home in the MD pit.James A.

Ok thanks for the flap info, so to get the Vref and Vapp speeds I just enter the weight from the weight init page? I'll try that.As for the speeds, ok, I'm used to my usual 140-145 knots in the 747-400 and I was expecting lower speeds since the MD-11 should be lighter.. I guess the the speeds aren't that different, thanks for the info!

Ok thanks for the flap info, so to get the Vref and Vapp speeds I just enter the weight from the weight init page? I'll try that.As for the speeds, ok, I'm used to my usual 140-145 knots in the 747-400 and I was expecting lower speeds since the MD-11 should be lighter.. I guess the the speeds aren't that different, thanks for the info!

You don't need to enter any weight into the APPR page, this is done automatically. If it was empty then you did SOMEthing that made it all go away, which shouldn't happen of course and will not happen if you use the proper ways to use the FMC. Might have been something you did unintentionally since you're new on the type. So I guess the next flight you do the weight will be in there, and so will be the profile.Oh and no, the MD-11's approach speeds are nowhere near the ones of the 747. Vapp with zero wind at max. landing weight is ABOVE 160kts. So approach speeds between 160 and 165 knots are very common on the MD-11.Regards,Markus

You don't need to enter any weight into the APPR page, this is done automatically. If it was empty then you did SOMEthing that made it all go away, which shouldn't happen of course and will not happen if you use the proper ways to use the FMC. Might have been something you did unintentionally since you're new on the type. So I guess the next flight you do the weight will be in there, and so will be the profile.

Ok, I probably need to fly a couple more flights following the manual precisely (or a tutorial) before I can fly completely manual-less.

Oh and no, the MD-11's approach speeds are nowhere near the ones of the 747. Vapp with zero wind at max. landing weight is ABOVE 160kts. So approach speeds between 160 and 165 knots are very common on the MD-11.Regards,Markus

Thanks for the info!Cheers,

Just thought of something else.. I'm currently cruising from CYVR to EHAM, going well so far!Just wandering, if I'm all set and the winds change, how do I change de departure runway and/or SID? In the 747 it's on the DEP/ARR page and easy to change, but since with the MD-11 you need to select your departure airport from the F-PLN page, well I can't anymore since it's gone and replaced with the runway number..?Anyway, I did a good old 3 knot tailwind take-off :(

Just thought of something else.. I'm currently cruising from CYVR to EHAM, going well so far!Just wandering, if I'm all set and the winds change, how do I change de departure runway and/or SID? In the 747 it's on the DEP/ARR page and easy to change, but since with the MD-11 you need to select your departure airport from the F-PLN page, well I can't anymore since it's gone and replaced with the runway number..?Anyway, I did a good old 3 knot tailwind take-off :(

"RTE, LEGS, & DEP/ARRThe MD-11's MCDU does not have dedicated pages for these functions the way a Boeing's CDU does. They are all handled through a single page associated with each waypoint called the Lateral Revision (LAT REV) page. Pressing the MCDU LSK to the left of a waypoint on the F-PLAN page brings you to the LAT REV page for that waypoint. This page allows you to do a number of things including inserting waypoints and airways, SIDs, STARs, and approaches. It is very important to note that LAT REV should always be called up FROM the last waypoint prior to what you want. So if you want to add a STAR for instance, you need to bring up the LAT REV page for the last enroute waypoint before you want the STAR to start and add it from there. The rough 1:1 comparisons between a Boeing FMC's pages are as follows: RTE - Origin and destination airports are entered on the F-PLAN INIT page. The familar VIA and TO columns for airway entries are located by pressing the AIRWAYS page, accessed through a waypoint's LAT REV page. LEGS - The F-PLAN page is roughly equivalent, though many modifications to the flight plan happen through a waypoint's LAT REV page and not directly on the F-PLAN page and scratchpad the way you'd do with a Boeing. The flight plan between your destination and your alternate appears at the bottom of the waypoint list, after the main origin to destination plan. The Boeing convention of making modifications to the route by line selecting waypoints from further downrange up into a new position does not apply here, you must use the LAT REV page's NEXT WPT prompt. DEP/ARR - You insert SIDs, STARs, and approaches by using the SID and STAR pages, accessed through the LAT REV page. You should add a SID from origin airport's LAT REV page and a STAR from the last enroute waypoint's LAT REV page" / Leffe

"RTE, LEGS, & DEP/ARRThe MD-11's MCDU does not have dedicated pages for these functions the way a Boeing's CDU does. They are all handled through a single page associated with each waypoint called the Lateral Revision (LAT REV) page. Pressing the MCDU LSK to the left of a waypoint on the F-PLAN page brings you to the LAT REV page for that waypoint. This page allows you to do a number of things including inserting waypoints and airways, SIDs, STARs, and approaches. It is very important to note that LAT REV should always be called up FROM the last waypoint prior to what you want. So if you want to add a STAR for instance, you need to bring up the LAT REV page for the last enroute waypoint before you want the STAR to start and add it from there. The rough 1:1 comparisons between a Boeing FMC's pages are as follows: RTE - Origin and destination airports are entered on the F-PLAN INIT page. The familar VIA and TO columns for airway entries are located by pressing the AIRWAYS page, accessed through a waypoint's LAT REV page. LEGS - The F-PLAN page is roughly equivalent, though many modifications to the flight plan happen through a waypoint's LAT REV page and not directly on the F-PLAN page and scratchpad the way you'd do with a Boeing. The flight plan between your destination and your alternate appears at the bottom of the waypoint list, after the main origin to destination plan. The Boeing convention of making modifications to the route by line selecting waypoints from further downrange up into a new position does not apply here, you must use the LAT REV page's NEXT WPT prompt. DEP/ARR - You insert SIDs, STARs, and approaches by using the SID and STAR pages, accessed through the LAT REV page. You should add a SID from origin airport's LAT REV page and a STAR from the last enroute waypoint's LAT REV page" / Leffe

Ok wow thanks, I'll try it next time when VATSIM stop suspending me for either being offline and getting contacted or not seeing the messages when online. I have been a user for about 2 years of VATSIM now... Anyway, I had a TAT of -50 C and almost freezing fuel last night (-38C) so instead of going down, I went to the fuel page and changed it to JP-4.. all fixed, it has a freezing temp of -58. Now though, I just got up and the sim is pause (at the TD) but the TAT is -25C. The FUEL page says to go down because the fuel is at -59C!?! What? Hopefully I can make it down soon enough... It seems also that the power limit is CLM at 103.1 but the N1 isn't going over 83.. the speed is mach .757 and the command when is mach .822, maybe I'm loosing something.Edit: never mind the speed thing, it was a pause issue. The fuel problem still remains though.Edit 2 : God... when I un pause the TAT becomes -59C, but that goes back to -26 when I pause. Sorry Im an idiot. Stil annoying that I can't really leave a flight without freezing fuel... Isn't there a "fuel heat"? I can't use wing heat because it says bleed air fault.

Ok, I just completed the flight. It went surprisingly well compared to my first one in this thread, a part from the VATSIM ban and the fuel issue.I had a landing weight on the page, it's a good idea to fly with the tutorial next to me :( My engine didn't flame out but even during the end of the descent when the TAT was around -30C, the fuel was still in the low -50C's.. odd.

Stil annoying that I can't really leave a flight without freezing fuel... Isn't there a "fuel heat"? I can't use wing heat because it says bleed air fault.

When using real weather make sure you check the temperatures enroute before refueling. That way you know when to use another fuel type with a lower freezing point.Using the wing anti-ice will not heat the fuel, this will just heat your leading edge of the wing, nothing more. The MD-11 has a feature which is starting to pump fuel around to reduce the freezing process, this is done automatically however.In any way it may be required to change your flight level for a lower one to be able to get into warmer air. These things happen...

My engine didn't flame out but even during the end of the descent when the TAT was around -30C, the fuel was still in the low -50C's.. odd.

This is normal, fuel temperature may take a LONG time to go up.Markus

Phil H,my first toughts are you need to learn better this aircraft before tempting long flights especially with online ATC ... from what i read the MD11 is like airbus so not the same as Boeing that are "more" easy to handle ... but promise one day to buy and try the md11 and report.even if you re lucky to make the second flight please do yourself a favor and follow my little advice.phil

When using real weather make sure you check the temperatures enroute before refueling. That way you know when to use another fuel type with a lower freezing point.Using the wing anti-ice will not heat the fuel, this will just heat your leading edge of the wing, nothing more. The MD-11 has a feature which is starting to pump fuel around to reduce the freezing process, this is done automatically however.In any way it may be required to change your flight level for a lower one to be able to get into warmer air. These things happen...This is normal, fuel temperature may take a LONG time to go up.Markus

Ok thanks, I did end up changing the fuel type in mid-air to JP4 and the warning went away, but it came back 20 degrees C later, probably 5 or 6 hours later.

Phil H,my first toughts are you need to learn better this aircraft before tempting long flights especially with online ATC ... from what i read the MD11 is like airbus so not the same as Boeing that are "more" easy to handle ... but promise one day to buy and try the md11 and report.even if you re lucky to make the second flight please do yourself a favor and follow my little advice.phil

Will do, I did fly the tutorial at first with the manual and it went well. I was just flying long hauls because of school and I had no time to spare.. I was just able to take-off at night and land in the morning. Now we're on a break so I should get more time for short-haul flights.P

"RTE, LEGS, & DEP/ARRThe MD-11's MCDU does not have dedicated pages for these functions the way a Boeing's CDU does. They are all handled through a single page associated with each waypoint called the Lateral Revision (LAT REV) page. Pressing the MCDU LSK to the left of a waypoint on the F-PLAN page brings you to the LAT REV page for that waypoint. This page allows you to do a number of things including inserting waypoints and airways, SIDs, STARs, and approaches. It is very important to note that LAT REV should always be called up FROM the last waypoint prior to what you want. So if you want to add a STAR for instance, you need to bring up the LAT REV page for the last enroute waypoint before you want the STAR to start and add it from there. The rough 1:1 comparisons between a Boeing FMC's pages are as follows: RTE - Origin and destination airports are entered on the F-PLAN INIT page. The familar VIA and TO columns for airway entries are located by pressing the AIRWAYS page, accessed through a waypoint's LAT REV page. LEGS - The F-PLAN page is roughly equivalent, though many modifications to the flight plan happen through a waypoint's LAT REV page and not directly on the F-PLAN page and scratchpad the way you'd do with a Boeing. The flight plan between your destination and your alternate appears at the bottom of the waypoint list, after the main origin to destination plan. The Boeing convention of making modifications to the route by line selecting waypoints from further downrange up into a new position does not apply here, you must use the LAT REV page's NEXT WPT prompt. DEP/ARR - You insert SIDs, STARs, and approaches by using the SID and STAR pages, accessed through the LAT REV page. You should add a SID from origin airport's LAT REV page and a STAR from the last enroute waypoint's LAT REV page" / Leffe

I choose a star and had to change the rw number.I just tried clicking on the waypoint BEFORE the RW on the F-PLN page, but when I added the STAR, I now had 2 approaches, one for 24L and one for 24R. Deleting everything one at a time with CLR was long. Is this the way it should be done?

Most times you will have to clean up the FPLN. Think of the LAT REV method as a copy and paste... it just pastes what you have selected into the FPLN.

Most times you will have to clean up the FPLN. Think of the LAT REV method as a copy and paste... it just pastes what you have selected into the FPLN.

Oh ok. That's kind of inconvenient, I better get used to checking the ATIS BEFORE putting in my data. :(