Manual Flight Instructions

[idahosurge 2]

Where do I find instructions on how to set the aircraft up for manual flight. I can take off fine, but when I am on my final approach I have a hard time getting my airspeed down, the speed brakes will not activate, when I land the plane will not stop, F2 will not activate reverse thrust and even with the throttle on my joystick set to zero the plane will not slow down, it keeps going off the end of the runway at 180 knots, pressing the brake has hardly no effect, hitting the z key to make sure the autopilot is disengaged has no effect.I did a quick review of the table of contents for the manuals and did not see a section on manual flight and that does not mean that it is not there, if it is I missed it.Help!Rod

[Paul_Smith 92]

Hi Rod, You need to use your full name to use this forum. The MD11 is not designed to be flown manually, the FMC is an integral part of managing the flight and so must be set up correctly for a successful flight. It can be done, but you would have to be already proficient on all the aircrafts systems. Try flying the original tutorial flight and each time you hit a step you do not understand, use the pause key to go and read up the manuals.

[aentwis 61]

I would agree that the FMS requires a certain number of parameters to be entered before realistic flights, even pattern training around your local favourite international airport, can be performed correctly, but to say that manual flight was not intended is a little incorrect.The MD may be flown manually without any interaction of the autothrust or autoflight systems. You need to remain ahead of the aircraft, as the approach speeds are higher than for other similarly weighted commercial aircraft, and you can very quickly become passenger in your own plane...I totally agree that it is a VERY good idea to complete the tutorial flight at least once. This aircraft is different from the usual Boeing or Airbus set ups, and she requires a bit more attention, particularly on final approach and landing, because of the pitch up tendencies...Flying the MD-11 has been one of the richest FS experiences I have had. I enjoy it every time I take her out for a spin or point to point!Andrew

[idahosurge 2]

I did go throught the EGLL to LSZH tutorial and in the tuturial as I recall it stated that an advanced tuturial would have manual flight procedures. The advanced tuturial as far as I can see says nothing about manual flight.Thanks for stating Andrew that the MD11 can be flown manually. I have a hard time believing that the FAA is going to let anything in the air that can be flown by computers only, we maybe getting close to that point, but we are not yet there. The intent of the MD11 maybe to automate as much of the flight as possible, but I would think that you can still take off and land manually.So back to my original question, is there any place in any of the manuals that discusses how systems/switches must be set for manual flight?Rod Storer

[downscc 1,327]

Regardless of using the AFCS or handflying, everything is "set up" the same way; however, your flight plan in the MCDU is obiously a lot simpler and only requires departure and arrival but the trick here is to be sure to include one enroute fix or navaid just to keep the computer from being confused. You don't need to set the MCP up with altitudes/speeds etc. if you are not using the AFCS or even the flight director.I know I'm missing something about your question, just not sure what. I have years of flying single pilot IFR in small (not too complex) airplanes, and believe me when there is an autopilot available and I am not dodging cumulus I will let otto fly every time in IMC conditions. Keeps me free to look at charts, change freqs and think about what is going on and staying ahead of the airplane.

[idahosurge 2]

I agree about letting the autopilot do the work, but my idea of the autopilot doing the work is holding altitude, course and speed after I get the aircraft at the altitude, course and speed I want. When I get to my destination off goes the autopilot because I like to land the plane myself.The automated systems on the MD11 are cool, but I still like to take off and land.In regards to missing something about my question, this all started because when I land, the plane will not stop and when landing the plane fights me all the way to the runway, it does not what to descend and it is almost impossible to get it to slow down, then like I said, once on the ground it will not stop. I have hit the Z key numerous times to disengage the autopilot and that did not help. So what I am asking is, "Does anyone know what switches have to be set in order to land under manual control?"I can take off fine, I just have a problem with landingRod

[downscc 1,327]

The autopilot disconnect does not disconnect the ATS (autothrottle). I recommend using autothrottle even if you hand fly by setting the FCP SPD to whatever you want to hold.The airplane is very easy to fly once you understand that it requires only minor corrections to hold desire attitude, and flying this airplane is all about attitude and power (= performance).To land manual, use the FMS to determine the Vref speed, which is important, so you will have the V speeds available on the speed tape. Use the ATS to control your speed, and hand fly your pitch and roll (attitude). You should be in a landing configuration (flaps, gear and speed of Vref+5) at 1000 ft above ground. Just hold that attitude and speed on the way down making very small corrections in pitch and roll. Hit F1 to close the throttles at about 30-50 ft above ground. Takes practice and patience.

[aentwis 61]

May I add that, once you close throttles, you need to flare carefully. If your airspeed is a little high, then you will float if you pitch up too high. Also remember that the effect of the ground spoilers when deployed is to cause a pitch up. If you still have enough airspeed to lift off again, the plane will do so... ie you will bounce. You need to quick on the ball, as a hard bounce can cause real problems in the MD-11...As soon as the maingear is on the runway, hit reverse thrust. You will have reverse thrust on 1 and 3 (wing mounted engines) and 2 will be available once the nosegear is down on the ground...I love it when I can perform a smooth centreline landing in the MD-11, though it doesn't happen every time yet... still need to practice more before I book my simulator session in Frankfurt... :)Andrew

[idahosurge 2]

Thank you Dan and Andrew for your last posts, that is the information that I was looking for. Last night I determined that my previous problem with speed was the fact that the auto throttle was active. I was able to land last night without auto throttle active and got reverse thrust to work and I got stopped before I went flying off the end of the runway. It was not a pretty landing, but it was a start.Thanks agains for the tips!Rod

[mburkhard 23]

Rod,you should still be able to land even when using auto thrust, because the system is designed to recognise a landing and reduce thrust to idle automatically. Of course your approach has to be stable for that to work.Remember, if you use ATS for landing make sure that your hardware throttle lever(s) is set to idle, otherwise it might interfere.Markus

[ahinterl 1]

A nice thread since I hand fly all my planes as often as I can.With the MD-11, I have some difficulties with the LSASS simulation. While banking is not the problem, pitch changes and trim are somehow, that seems to depend on the LSASS strength lever in the PMDG menu. I still try to figure out the effect of this lever and what are settings I can "live" with...I'm somehow still "damaged" from bad FDEs like the one of Wilco's Airbus vol 1 and 2. Being used to set pitch and then trim out, or use trim alone for smaller changes, the MD-11 together with the awkward way I used to hand fly the Wilco Bus, I think I have to elaborate a different way to handle the MD-11. The traditional method like I use for e.g. the 767 is not the best for that bird.I hope I get a better feeling over the weekend (i.e. if wife and kids don't occupy me too much).Andreas