Flying a manual landing to 34L at LEPA I was decending nicely. Shortly before 'flare' with the AT off, the engines spooled up and caused a go around. This was after pressing the button on the edge of the throttles too.What's the best way to make sure the AT is off and stays off please?

When flying any aircraft such as the MD-11 with complex autoflight systems any action by the pilot on the FCP / AP should always be confirmed on the FMA (Flight Mode Annunciator) this is located at the top of the PFD.It is most important to always verify the aircraft status from the FMA, to make sure any requested actions have been carried out by the autoflight systems... In short this is how the pilot keeps in the "loop" with the aircraft.Mark

Flying a manual landing to 34L at LEPA I was decending nicely. Shortly before 'flare' with the AT off, the engines spooled up and caused a go around. This was after pressing the button on the edge of the throttles too.What's the best way to make sure the AT is off and stays off please?

Flying a manual landing to 34L at LEPA I was decending nicely. Shortly before 'flare' with the AT off, the engines spooled up and caused a go around. This was after pressing the button on the edge of the throttles too.What's the best way to make sure the AT is off and stays off please?

Hi thereNot sure if if this is the case, but did your speed drop below vref? The MD-11 has several safety measures, this means that there's always some degree of autothrottle on, this manifests in a spool-up of the engines if she gets to slow, you will then get a warning in the PFD saying "speed protection".What you explained had a similarity to that, just a suggestion.Take care

This may be the case with the MD11 but I would find that feature alarming. I guess it depends on what he means by 'Shortly before the flare' I don't have the exact numbers but as an example below 50ft RA on most types automatic speed protection is disabled even if you drop below Vref. This is designed to prevent the aircraft automatically entering Go-around mode which can be extremely dangerous. A go around at such a low altitude should always be decided by the P/F not the Aircraft. I will have a search to find out the MD11 A/T logic on this subject, hopefully one of the PMDG Tech guys can also shed some light.

This may be the case with the MD11 but I would find that feature alarming. I guess it depends on what he means by 'Shortly before the flare' I don't have the exact numbers but as an example below 50ft RA on most types automatic speed protection is disabled even if you drop below Vref. This is designed to prevent the aircraft automatically entering Go-around mode which can be extremely dangerous. A go around at such a low altitude should always be decided by the P/F not the Aircraft. I will have a search to find out the MD11 A/T logic on this subject, hopefully one of the PMDG Tech guys can also shed some light.

Rob,this is one thing where a desktop simulation does not match the real aircraft. On the real MD-11 you hold the thrust levers in your hand, you feel them moving. If you hold them or use them during short final and flare, there's no chance that the protection can initiate a go around or full thrust. The levers simply can't move.Such hardware is not available for the desktop simulator. So if the low speed protection commands full thrust, off you go...Cheers,Markus

Thanks for the Reply Markus, Does the A/T logic not prevent the aircraft from entering G/A mode below 50ft RA unless initiated by the Pilot flying? The reason I ask is that WAGS (Windshear guidance) on the real aircraft prevents Automatic speed protection below 50ft RA I would have assumed if that was the case then the same would apply for letting the aircraft slip below Vref below 50ft RA. That's how it works on the Bus. So my query is despite the limitations of our hardware should the aircraft be commanding TOGA thrust in the first place?I really want to test this in the sim but it's currently over 2000 miles away :( I also have a feeling the OP was much higher and well below Vref when the protection kicked in, and also didn't use any additives.Regards