Dear Md11-Drivers – I‘am helpless: Currently I’am working on my take off techniques in FS9. Everything worked as it supposed to be. But for two days now I encounter a very strange problem:

 

RWY 34L at KSEA: Immediately after getting airborne (Radio Alt. 4-5 ft.) take off mode is automatically replaced by heading mode, on the FMA Control Window Roll Control Mode changes from Take off to a white "Heading 019" reading although heading knob on the FCP is set to the proper runway heading of 341. What’s wrong here? Did a lot of uneventful take offs before and never encountered such strange behavior. No use of external hardware (I disabled my vrinsight MCP, the bug still remains). I was able to reproduce this situation in other airports like KORD and KJFK though the divergence between the heading reading on the FMA and the heading set on FCP is only a few degrees in contrast to what happens at KSEA. I tried with other airplanes (pmdg 737 for example) – no problems at all!

I even re-installed the MD11 without success. For those training flights I usually use the standard situation of FS9, choosing MD11 from the start up menu together with the Ready-to-taxi-Panel Configuration from the pmdg menu. The aircraft is properly configuered for take off, all relevant data is set in the MCDU. Thanks in advance, any help is highly appreciated!

 

Josch/Germany

Can you get screenshots of the PFD right before applying takeoff power (should be the last action), and immediately after the problem occurs? Need to see the EXACT FMA.

 

For reference:

 

* Check the WEIGHT INIT page is giving correct data (I found the EXTRA line is not computed if it is unhappy with something)

* When pressing TO/APPR ensure all fields are complete and V3 etc.. speeds are computed (middle column)

* Check FPLN is completed and all DISCOs cleared

* Check the PROG page is computing properly

 

After line-up, check GREEN BOX, then arm the AP/AT system. SPEED is PITCH mode, ALTITUDE is THRUST mode. This is denoted by the larger of the boxes being to the left, the smaller box being to the right then disappearing when AT system armed for TAKEOFF (happens very quickly so look at the FMA when you push the button). At this point I arm NAV and PROF modes, too. I need to check what the system does if these are not armed.

 

I appreciate you may already know this, but I've found that "operator error" is why the jet doesn't do what I think it should be doing, so it is good to just confirm things are being done in order. :smile:

 

Best regards,

Robin.

Hi Robin, thanks for your kind and fast response. I'll check this evening and provide you with corresponding screenshots. (I'm not at my flightsim computer right now). What I can tell you is that speed is in pitch mode with V2 set in the FCP as a backup for the FMS-generated V" speed. Green box is checked.Speeds are confirmed and show up in magenta colour. All fields are in TO/APPR Page are complete, sr/V3 is shown in the the MCDU. AT is armed and kicks in shortly after 70-80 percent N1. Values for Thrust (flex mode 59, computed by Topcat) are exactly held (no spiking or errating behaviour caused by hardware) Altitude 5000 ft is armed and shown in white colour on the FCP.

 

I do not arm prof or NAV on the ground because I practise on more basic technics. I usually switch to Flight Level change at CLIMB THRUST Altitude in order to change to climb thrust and continue to hold V2+10 until ACC Alt manually. Heading changes are flown by hand with appropriate inputs on the FCP for backup until I intercept my SID or ATC gives me vectors or a DTO to a waypoint.

Anyway thanks for your support. I'll keep you updated.

 

regards,

 

josch

I tried it here - it remained in TAKEOFF and THRUST mode until accel altitude, then it transitioned to TAKEOFF and CLIMB. I had to pull the heading knob to get HEADING.

 

Best regards,

Robin.

Hi Robin, thats exactly the way it should work - and the way it worked for me until yesterday. Watch the attached files. After TO is the most interesting one. At 5 feet RA FMA has changed from Takeoff to Heading 184 - don't ask me where that particular value comes from - fcp still shows 341 one. But even more weird ist the white bowtie on the ND, indicating a selected heading of 290. Were does this thing comes from?

My guess would be that you have a discontinuity that you havent cleared yet, or perhaps something weird in the SID you are trying to follow. The 90 degree turn at NEZUG is simply not right and is a good indication that something is wrong with the flight plan.

Maybe, post the route you are using, so we can analyze it, with the runway and SID, you chose.

 

Stéphane LI-THIAO-TE

Envoyé de mon iPad à l'aide de Tapatalk HD

 

And also all your starting conditions (zfw, fuel on board, flex temp, to flaps setting, etc) so we can try to reproduce the "error" or post your situation files and panel state file (easiest way), so we can download it to try.

 

I have the MD11 since the beginning and I have never seen this.

 

The only thing I've seen with the MD11 is the difference between the runway heading when you are ready for take off, and the runway display on the ND, which can be a few degrees left or right from straight ahead (due to the magnetic variation in KSEA). And this "error" is resolved by doing an FSX registry repair (use flight1 tool). Maybe you can try to fix the registry ?

 

Stéphane LI-THIAO-TE

Envoyé de mon iPad à l'aide de Tapatalk HD

The route doesn't affect it. It's an auto-flight issue, not a flight plan issue.

 

It may be worth deleting the saved flight file and trying again - in testing the FS9 version I found some oddities.

 

Best regards,

Robin.

Hi everybody and thanks for your support. Just like Robin said, I don't think that it has anything to do with the flight plan - apart from the fact that the SID is set up correctly. The 90 degrees turn at Nezug (it's 89 degress to be accurate) is part of the Summa Seven departure at KSEA. The point is, the autoflight system used to work perfectly even without any flightplan. It is the most basic of all AP maneuvers: keeping wings levelled. And by the way: arming NAV on the ground still works fine, ap keeps perfectly track of the magenta line - even with some discos ahead.

 

That's why I think it's a conflict with something outside the PMDG - maybe some struggle with another dll or anything like that. I reinstalled the MD11 twice, deleted all remaining folders, I tried different panel set ups - the problem still remains.The strange thing is that it came out of a sudden: No change in configuration, no installation of software which might could have provoked such a strange behavior.

Kind regards

 

josch

Try the registry repair tool.

 

Stéphane LI-THIAO-TE

Envoyé de mon iPad à l'aide de Tapatalk HD

Hi Stéphane, I tried it without success.

The 90 degrees turn at Nezug (it's 89 degress to be accurate) is part of the Summa Seven departure at KSEA. The point is, the autoflight system used to work perfectly even without any flightplan.

The MD11 can not do a 90 degree turn in less then a 10th of a mile as your current flight plan appears to be trying to do, and the FMC would not even suggest trying it unless it had not completed its analysis of your plan. And if that analysis is not complete, then you have not completed pre-flight. Please post your flight plan as shown by your FMC, if for no other reason then to rule this out.