Exactly what does a real M11 pilot feel on the control column in terms of control forces? It is my understanding that the ELF function will generate an artificial airspeed-dependent control force. I am only just finishing my PPL ground school books but it's my understanding that hydraulically-actuated flight controls don't give the same kind of feedback as do the mechanical ones on your average C172...Ilari Kousa

The controls are have hydraulic-assist rather than pure hydraulic power analogious to power steering in the car. There is a mechanical connection, and the amount of power assist varies with speed or other variables.

The controls are have hydraulic-assist rather than pure hydraulic power analogious to power steering in the car. There is a mechanical connection, and the amount of power assist varies with speed or other variables.

Dan good evening,Sorry to disagree with you, but i try to keep it simple.The MD11 is a pure hydraulic power operated aircraft.Yes there is a mechanical connection, to give a feedback to the control collum and rudder pedals, but positionfeed back only.The elevator has a feel computor which adjust tension on several springs depending on stabilizer position and airspeed. By that is has a variabel feel, but pure artificial.Ailerons and rudder are pure spring based feel mechanisms.With the control collum or pedals you move a hyd pilot valve which in turn directs the hydraulic actuator which moves the aileron/rudder or elevator. To put it short you move the collum or pedals against a tension spring.The MD11 also has force sensors in the control collum, which gives a direct link to the hyd actuators to move the control surfaces. An early version of the fly-by wire system, the DC10 had it aswell.The primairy mode for flying the MD11 is control wheel steering(fly by wire) and auto pilot.The cable system is for position feedback and artificial feel. only and backup control if needed.Hope this gives some inside into the MD11 my queen of the skies!!!!Sincerly ,Bob Cornett

Thank you sir. I love that there is so much knowledge here.

So would it thus be realistic to have FSForce on while flying the PMDG M11 (i.e it's not like the A320 series where there is no control feel...)?

So would it thus be realistic to have FSForce on while flying the PMDG M11 (i.e it's not like the A320 series where there is no control feel...)?

I've never used any of the consumer type joysticks with force feedback, thus I have no idea how FSForce feels while flying. The RCWS system of the MD-11 gives you a unique feedback while doing roll inputs, different from what you feel on the MD-80 without that system. I doubt that there's any force feedback hardware available that is capable of simulating this, and you would definitely need a yoke, not a stick.So the most realistic hardware you can get would be the yokes from ACE. Not only do they have strong spring tension to give you a lot of resistance, but also they have dampened both pitch and roll input. The closest I have ever felt on a desktop sim compared to the real RCWS stuff on the MD-11, but of course not identical.Regards,Markus