That is correct, some larger aircraft can't have the parking brakes set while loading and unloading. Don't know which ones now but the A330 and A320 can. I think the DC 10 also couldn't but I'm not 100% sure on that one not having flown on it. It all depends on whether or not the landing gear i straight or angled forward a bit to provide self centering nose gear as with the MD-11.

Actualy is the chocks that must not be in place on the center gear of the MD11 and not de parking brake.

Actualy is the chocks that must not be in place on the center gear of the MD11 and not de parking brake.

Incorrect, the parking brake can't be set and the chocks must be used but you have to leave a gap of about 3-6 inches between the chocks and the wheel...

Incorrect, the parking brake can't be set and the chocks must be used but you have to leave a gap of about 3-6 inches between the chocks and the wheel...

I still think that the chocks must not be used in the center gear and they are allowed on the left/right main gear.

I still think that the chocks must not be used in the center gear and they are allowed on the left/right main gear.

Ok, well 'm not 100% sure having never operated the MD-11 in real life, I only operate the A330 now but AKAIK, and I'm no expert on MD-11 landing gear, they should be chocked, I'll find out next time I bumb into the delta crew at the airport, one of them I met before used to be on the MD-11 so I'll see if there's another one about in the crew room... I get back to you on that if I find out...

Ok, well 'm not 100% sure having never operated the MD-11 in real life, I only operate the A330 now but AKAIK, and I'm no expert on MD-11 landing gear, they should be chocked, I'll find out next time I bumb into the delta crew at the airport, one of them I met before used to be on the MD-11 so I'll see if there's another one about in the crew room... I get back to you on that if I find out...

That would be awsome!

I appreciate all the feedback on the real world use of chocks/parking brake. As time and experience progresses, its nice to pick up on these tidbits of information that we can use to improve upon our simulation of real operations. I learned so much from this thread, I wish there were more like this.Sorry to go off topic, but I have a question for Ronan since it pertains to simulating real world practices. Say you have a cost index input for the flight to save fuel/engine life. During the departure/arrival procedure, assuming ATC could ask the a/c to deviate from a cost efficient routine to expedited max performance to account for local traffic in the busy terminal area, do pilots use a different cost index temporarily until established at cruise? For instance, CI=40 for a long haul 747 cruise using best efficiency, but using CI=100 to obtain best performance during the climbout to adhere to ATC instructions for traffic separation? I had read somewhere that some airlines do this (or are mandated by ATC) in order to obtain maximum climb speed until cruise is obtained. For my flights, I plan the fuel load using a set cost index (often 40), but until I am at cruise I will input the max value of 100. I'm curious about this.

I appreciate all the feedback on the real world use of chocks/parking brake. As time and experience progresses, its nice to pick up on these tidbits of information that we can use to improve upon our simulation of real operations. I learned so much from this thread, I wish there were more like this.Sorry to go off topic, but I have a question for Ronan since it pertains to simulating real world practices. Say you have a cost index input for the flight to save fuel/engine life. During the departure/arrival procedure, assuming ATC could ask the a/c to deviate from a cost efficient routine to expedited max performance to account for local traffic in the busy terminal area, do pilots use a different cost index temporarily until established at cruise? For instance, CI=40 for a long haul 747 cruise using best efficiency, but using CI=100 to obtain best performance during the climbout to adhere to ATC instructions for traffic separation? I had read somewhere that some airlines do this (or are mandated by ATC) in order to obtain maximum climb speed until cruise is obtained. For my flights, I plan the fuel load using a set cost index (often 40), but until I am at cruise I will input the max value of 100. I'm curious about this.

No, not at all, we just imput a different mach number or airspeed into the FCU, and leave it there until the restriction is lifted...Most simmers find this hard to grasp but, IRL we don't use LNAV and VNAV as frequently as most assume, Most departures we fly will not stick to the SID in managed modes but instead use the selected mode of the FCU , we will be given different headings, altitudes, speeds ect. and don't really follow the SID to a tee usually. Cost index remains the same for the entire flight and is decided upon by the flight dispatcher, but the captain can select another should we deem it necessary, such as using the LRC option if you have a bit extra fuel and are running behind schedule, although for the most part we don't touch it...Hope that helped.

What a fantastic thread, learned some things here. This is how it should be. After all the negativity in previous posts, this is really a nice change :-)

What a fantastic thread, learned some things here. This is how it should be. After all the negativity in previous posts, this is really a nice change :-)

Yes it is a nice breath of fresh air from all the requests and demands present on the other threads. It's a more deep technical discussion with valid points being raised. If only every thread could be like this...

Urm, any word from PMDG on the cooling model and chocks?

Okay,so I had a chat with one of the Delta captains there on Monday, real nice fella and new all his stuff to a tee, even has a copy of the PMDG MD-11. So here is how it works;For a turnaround it works like this:1. Park Brake on.2. .Engines off.3. NLG chocked ONLY4. Parking Brake Unset5. Loading/Unloading6. Parkbrake Set 7. NLG un-chockedFor an overnight:1. Park brake on2. Engines off.3. NLG Chocked.4. MLG Chocked after about 30 secs (to allow spool down time for the engines to protect ground crew)5. NLG Un-Chocked6. Unloading.General Rules:1.NLG and MLG never chocked together at same time while loading / unloading.2.NLG and CLG never chocked together at same time while loading / unloading.3. Parking Brake is NOT to be set while loading or unloadind any load greater than 8000lbs and is not advised to be set for any loading or unloading operation, regardless of weight. Delta crews were not allowed to set the Parking brake during any loading / unloading operation according to their individual Ops Manual.Hope this helps,Rónán O Cadhain.PS: NLG = Nose landing Gear MLG = Main Landing Gear CLG = Center Landing Gear

Okay, so in recent times we've heard alot about how the upcoming PMDG 737 will have very realistic brakes modeled, going as far as to model the cooling difference between the carbon and steel brakes however in FSX we leave the park-brake set while at the gate, doing our turnaround, however IRL, we release the parkbrake once we're in position and the ground crew have the chocks inserted. This allows for quicker cooling of the brakes and prevents them sticking to the wheels on hot days. So I suppose I have two questions here;1. Probably obvious but will the difference in cooling rate differ on whether or not the park brake is set at th gate or if the park-brake is off and we have the chocks inserted?2. Will the chocks be modeled? Perhaps a selectable option in the FMC and if they are modeled will they function or will they just be for the visual effect as with other add-ons?Then another problem arises as in FSX when using Aerosofts AES, it requires that you leave the parking brake set so then in that case would it be possible to switch the cooling model to as if the brakes were off but still leave them set so AES can do its work?Thanks for your time, Rónán O'Cadhain.

Question, im a trucker during my stint over the road i used to have to pay very close attention when i had the parking brakes engaged on my trailer during extreme cold because they would freeze shut. do you have to deal with that same problem?

Tks Rónán!That was a very constructive topic with a lot of interesting info!

Question, im a trucker during my stint over the road i used to have to pay very close attention when i had the parking brakes engaged on my trailer during extreme cold because they would freeze shut. do you have to deal with that same problem?

No really on cold days, we have de-iceing fellas, but on warm days we try not to leave them set too long to give them a better chance to cool down...In the small planes such as the C152 and C172 that I did my training in, we didn't set the parking brake on hot days as the fluid could expand and burst the pipes, but we don't worry too much about that in larger aircraft, they're built stronger.

I know I started this topic up a while back, but is there any word from PMDG on the Brake / Chock situation?