Quick question for you MD-11 professionals B)

 

Is it possible to fly the plane with the auto-pilot without the FMS?

 

You should still be doing the basic FMS setup like weights, air temp, etc but the rest is not that important. Just use the MCP like you would normally after that.

 

The first flight I did with the MD-11 (following the beginner's tutorial) I actually got pretty apprehensive when it was time to apply TOGA. It feels like you really are in command of a huge, powerful and complex aircraft that demands ALL of your attention.

Quick question for you MD-11 professionals B)

 

Is it possible to fly the plane with the auto-pilot without the FMS?

 

I guess you mean "can you fly the MD-11 only with the MCP without following a specific GPS flight plan programmed into the FMS" ?

Answer is, yes of course. Simply said, it's like this : except for a few details, there is nothing you can do in a 737/747 co_ckpit which you couldn't do in the MD-11.

System wise the MD-11 is more advanced than the 737, people tend to forget that (or simply do not know/realize this)

Thanks for the responses. I figured its possible but the question is what button to I press to change the AP source to the FCP and not the FMS so I can set the heading, altitude, and speed from the FCP on instruction from ATC.

Hi Crhis,

 

Altough your question is completly covered by the manual I will describe it for you.

First things first: The MD-11 frontpanel has a special useage concept: You can push and pull the selectors.

 

Left-klicking a selector (HDG or ALT) pushes it in. This will change the window above it (HDG or ALT) to the actual heading or altitude. E.g.: You fly hdg 090 an the preselected hdg is 185. If you now push HDG selector the preselctor window will show 090.

Right-klicking a selector pulls it. If you pull it the AP will fly whatever you selected.

E.g.: You fly hdg 090, your hdg selector shows 185 and you pull it the AP will fly to hdg 185.

 

Hope that helps,

 

Jonathan

 

Found it B)

 

I kept searching the FMS manual for it which was obviously the wrong place.

 

Thanks for the help though..

Just completed my first long flight (KFLL to KSEA) and must admit, it was a lot more fun to watch all the systems work on the MD-11 than the NGX. Hard to believe this add-on has been available for so long. Looking forward to seeing what the 777 will be like although if the Flight Sim Labs Airbus A320 is released first, I may go that route :biggrin:

 

Always did want a good Airbus...

 

ps. Wonder if I can get a refund on the -NGX? Haven't really flown it since I got the -11

I said this in another thread (regretting it now, it was totally inappropriate in that particular thread, enough said):

 

I have access to a 737NG homebuilt cockpit with the following hardware; OVH, MCP, EFIS, TQ, CDUx2, PEDESTAL and floor mounted yokes (the MIP is there, but it is homebuilt). The works! An ongoing project for 10 years now.

 

But believe it or not, I rather sit home on my mid-range laptop 17'' screen, using a generic joystick, and fly the "beast" (B*tching Betty? is that the "official" nick?)!

 

The bird is a nutcracker! And I love it!

 

Morten

I bought the -NGX last week and have not been able to fly anything else. I was so impressed with that add-on that I took the plunge and got the MD-11 and FS2Crew (both currently downloading).

IMHO you just got the best add-on for FS, ever.

 

What can I expect with the MD-11 vs the -NGX?

It's an MD vs. Boeing, but feature-wise, the MD-11 is more detailed than the NGX IMHO. There is a bunch of stuff in the MD-11 not present in the NGX for reasons unknown (RTA and alternate gear extension being two examples).

 

Does it come with a set of tutorials like the -NGX's?

Not sure - never looked. There is a great amount of info in the manuals though. You WILL need to read it carefully as the MD-11 is VERY automated, which makes it easy to operate, but you do need to understand what it is doing. All systems have a manual mode of operation.

 

I've read the MD-11 can be a tricky beast to fly by hand, will it be that much more of a challenge moving from the NGX?

If you fly it empty, you MUST stay ahead of the MD-11 as it is very high performance. It will soon get ahead of you if you're not careful.

 

It has LSAS (Longitudinal Stability Augmentation System) which is required as it has a small horizontal stab (reduced 30% from the DC-10), and a function of the LSAS is that if you keep the roll attitude within the roll bracket, it will auto-trim to hold the pitch attitude when you release pressure from (center) the stick.

 

This can take a bit of getting used to, and does require a bit of trial and error with tweaking (there are two places it is set - a master setting in PMDG options, then there is a control panel like the real jet that adjusts this further on-the-fly).

 

You will need to experiment with this for your particular set-up.

 

Does the FMS have the capability to take control from take-off to landing like the -NGX?

Yes. It does everything except takeoff and taxi.

 

Is it fair to compare both products like this?

Yes, insofar as both have FMS, both have EFIS, both have auto-flight, both are Cat. III land capable, etc... Overall, the MD-11 is deeper than the NGX. Note that the MD-11 is not strictly RNAV capable as it doesn't support RF leg types. I think this will be added to the NGX but unfortunately not to the MD-11. :( Other than this, the MD-11 FMS is at least as capable than the NGX, more so in some areas.

 

When is the 777 coming out? B)

No idea.

 

Best regards,

Robin.