Been away from flight simulation for a couple of years and I have a couple of questions about the MD-11.  Since I returned to the hobby, I have gotten back up to speed on the different Boeing aircraft that I have on my simulator.  Having a couple of problems with the MD-11.  Does the MD-11 auto tune the ILS radio for the final approach?  If it does I assume it also sets the correct course heading.

 

My problem with the MD-11 is that I always seem to be behind the curve during my decent.  That is I seem always to be a little/lot high and a lot fast on final.  As with my Boeings, I plan a STAR approach, I set up a 30/150/300 mile circle around the final airport. I watch for the T/D indicator, use the  3 for 1 decent calculation as a reference, use the speed brake as required, and I take the landing gear down early. 

 

Most often times I ended up landing the aircraft by hand.  Any ideas in what I am doing wrong in my setup?

 

Tom

 

 

Most often times I ended up landing the aircraft by hand.

 

This is how it's done 99% of the time, despite what many in the sim hobby believe.  I see where you're going, though: you're having to step in and take over for the automation because it's not operating how you'd expect it.

 

 

 

Any ideas in what I am doing wrong in my setup?

 

While there are likely several things you can do to help improve your situation in how you work with the automation, it's likely more an issue of the information you don't know.

 

What I mean by that is if you're using a STAR/Approach combination that is too short compared to real practices (especially in cases where you'd be vectored off of the STAR, and then onto the arrival), you will be "high."  Many of the STARs in the United States do not dump you right onto an approach.  In between the STAR and the approach, vectors are provided to help kill altitude and sequence the traffic.  Because most simmers believe that the magenta line should be unbroken from departure to destination (much like they expect the plane to land itself all the time), they incorrectly connect the end of the STAR to the approach, which can result in a very steep approach attempt.

 

If you haven't tried the tutorials, you should check them out.  They should help immensely.

Thank you for your quick response.

 

Yes I have been running the tutorials, but still end up high. I'm currently running a flight from KMSP to KTPA with a planned approach on to runway 19R. I have completed this trip a couple of times using my Boeing aircraft without a problem. The flight plan was created using a combination of Flight Aware and Flight Sim Commander. It appears, at least for now, that some form of a manual intervention may be the norm for this aircraft. Practice makes perfect, I'll keep trying until I get it right.

 

Thanks again

 

Tom

The FCOM contains a very good, detailed profile of how to fly an ILS Approach on page PT.30.4, including specific notes on flap and speed settings.

One thing that works well for me is to reduce the descent rate and float above the "perfect" vertical path when I decide to transition from clean through to F28.  This makes the process go much quicker and you end up slower further out.  The aircraft will reacquire the veritical profile very quickly when you resume the profile.

One thing to keep and mind is that some of the flightsim aircraft tend to be a tad bit more slippery than actual. I flew the DC-10-30 and that aircraft can do a max vvi of 1500fpm below 10,000 clean at 250. To me that's slippery. The G550 is as slippery as it gets, but she also has a max of 1500fpm below 10 clean at 250.

 

 One thing that you can do is lead the configuration. If you are held up above the TOD, slow down to descent speed. The MD11 will do this on it's own if you are in FMS speed mode. You can get a good descent rate at the higher altitudes. Around 14,000 to 12,000, I set a vvi of 1200fpm. In the DC10 and Gulfstreams, this works very well to have you at 250kts by 10,000. Unless i'm on a star that gets you low and slow early, I drop the slats as I pass through 10,000. 15 to 20 miles from the airport, I slow to 200kts. Once on a base or close to intercept, I go flaps 28 and slow to 180. As soon as the glide slope moves down I drop the gear. At a dot high, I configure landing flaps and slow to approach speed. If you are shooting a GPS app, I like to be fully configured by the IAF no later than the FAF and on app speed.That's how we did it in the DC10, and it made it easier to manage speed reduction. Big thing is to stay ahead of the jet. If you anticipate delayed descent, slow down. In mountainous areas, you are kept high because of terrain so slow and start configuration so that you can max your descent when given.

 

Don't be afraid to use the boards on descent. There have been many times in the 10 that I was slammed dunked and had to use the boards to get down. We would throw boards and slats. Once below 250, we would go flaps 15. Passing 220, we retracted the brakes and selected flaps 22. Usually that was enough. If on approach, we would fully configure to get down to path.

 

I don't know if the MD11 will auto tune and set course. If I were you i would set freqs and course once given the approach. Last thing you want is to find out it didn't work at intercept. The MD11 will also control speed settings based on flap position. The G5/550 does this also. At set distances from the airport and flap settings it will change the speeds. This is fine on departure, but can be a pain on arrival. In the Gulfstreams, we select manual speed to keep her from slowing when we select flaps early or when we want/or asked to keep the speed up. Don't be afraid to select your speed as you see fit.

 

Finally, unless its low mins, bad weather, heavy traffic, or i,m fatigued, I fly the final portion by hand. As Scandinavian said, take control when it does something you don't like.

This is my third attempt today to respond to my own post. I keep posting but nothing shows up in the forum. I did complete my trip from KMSP to KTPA. I made a couple of minor adjustments on final approach, but I came down without any real issues. Upon landing I forgot that the AP is controlled from the yoke, but I'll remember next time. I did have a problem after rollout. I was unable to move the aircraft forward after it had come to a complete stop. Is there something that needs to be reset after coming to a complete stop? Would the auto brakes hold the plane in position? - Tom

 

 

Would the auto brakes hold the plane in position?

 

Autobrakes need to be disengaged.  I haven't flown the plane in a while to answer this with exact precision, but they should kick off if you manually apply the brakes, bring the thrust levers above idle, or rotate the switch to the OFF position.

The autopilot/autothrust will not slow down if you will reduce speed below the flap stage. When you reach a purple dot speed (slowing down) then it's time to open some flap/slat. If you leave the flap/slat up the aircraft will fly the whole approach at about 225kts. You want to be at flap 15 at glideslope intercept. Slats well before glideslope intercept.

 

This is something I'v seen with the NGX too, people complain that it doesn't slow down on approach, but they're flying around flaps up at 2500ft doing 210kts. Autopilot systems are usually built so 1: they can't deploy flaps on their own and 2: won't deliberatley fly into a stall when in VNAV/LNAV managed modes.

 

With the MD11's short wing (compared to it's fuselage length and weight), you need more flap at a higher speed in comparison with other aircraft (even the 747).

 

Autobrakes can usually be disarmed with an application of manual breaks (see usual PNF call "Sixty Knots, Manual Breaking"). If that doesn't work, retracting spoiler should also disengage autobrake. Adding a little bit of thrust should retract the spoiler (which then cancels autobrake). Disenaging Autobrake directly by switching it to "off" also works.

 

As the joke goes, if it takes you full power to taxi to the ramp, you might have left your landing gear up.

Thank you everybody for your help. Normally I clear flaps, spoilers and auto brakes after a landing. Prior to my move I had simple check lists for of the major aircraft that I flew. I just never developed one for the MD-11. Also, during my research of my problems, I came across a great article on the PMDG Knowledge Base that shows the differences between the Boeings and the MD-11's. Again thanks to everybody. - Tom