Ok, folks!  So now I am becoming an MD-11 junkie, having spent two days diligently studying the manuals and following along to construct my first takeoff.  Everything was followed meticulously according to the FCOM  procedures but I encountered two inconsistencies:

 

1.  When I try to release the parking brakes, the standard "." keyboard key does not release them.  The only way seems to be to apply a quick press of manual brakes.  I can deal with it but the documentation seems to indicate that "." would work.

 

2.  In keeping with the FCOM and the advanced tutorial, once lined up on the runway with takeoff clearance, I pressed NAV to arm it and pressed PROFILE to arm it and then I would spool up engines to >70% and press "autoflight".  Well that did nothing, so I tried the old standard, SHFT-CTL-G and that did nothing.  I then went to pedestal and pressed the TOGO button, but that did nothing!  I was now using up runway with engine gauges showing clamp speed setting but engines still at a little over 70%.  Out of frustration I pushed F4 knowing that this would give me FULL TO power rather than the FLEX I had set up in the FMC.

 

I retraced my preflight setup and ran the flight again but though everything in my settup is according to the FCOM, I still seem to have to manually bring the throttles for takeoff and end up overshooting my FLEX power setting!  Some insight from you experienced MD11 sim drivers will be greatly appreciated.  Thanks.

 

Hi Craig,

 

Welcome to the MD-11!

 

I can't help you with your point number 1. I sometimes get similar behavior. 

 

Your second problem can be solved in the PMDG options menu. There you somewhere will find the throttle override (It might be called otherwise, I can check it for you tomorrow if you don't find it), you want to set it to 'never'. Because at the moment, as you move your thrust levers to 70% they will stay there, as you don't have servos in your (hardware) throttle like the real one has, FSX can't move them to your takeoff power and so they will still command 70% power. By changing that option you basically tell FSX to ignore your throttle position whilst A/T is on.

I also would recommend pressing Autoflight before advancing your throttles. This way you just can advance them until you hear the 'click' at which point the A/T will take over.

 

Best regards,

 

Jonathan

Great!  Thanks Jonathan.  I don't use a yoke or joystick...just the mouse as my controller but I would imagine the same setting should apply.  I think I remember seeing that setting in the options menu under PMDG in FSX but because it said "joystick" I paid no attention to it.  Seems to me it was set to "never", however, but I will check right away.  

 

BTW, I did hear the "click" but it only moved the green tick mark on the circular throttle gauge up to my FLEX setting but nothing happened to throttles themselves.

 

 

BTW, I did hear the "click" but it only moved the green tick mark on the circular throttle gauge up to my FLEX setting but nothing happened to throttles themselves.

 

From what I recall, the MD-11 throttles are gated (which is why you hear the click).  Similar to the Airbuses, you set the throttle on the gate so that the ATS (autothrottle system) knows to take control.  From there, the physical levers remain in that position and the system manages the throttle internally.  On the Boeings, it is different in that servos move the physical throttles in tandem with the thrust changes.

 

This is from my memory of the MD-11, which I have not (sim) flown in quite some time however.

 

@FLEX1978 - is that right?

From there, the physical levers remain in that position and the system manages the throttle internally.

 

After 80 knots, the autothrust system will enter CLAMP mode. The ATS control will be inhibited allowing the crew full control over the thrust levers without disconnecting the ATS. In other words, the ATS servos will not move the thrust levers. The ATS will resume control after the aircraft climbs through 400 feet or when a vertical mode is selected by the crew or the FMS.

 

 

 

On the Boeings, it is different in that servos move the physical throttles in tandem with the thrust changes.

 

The thrust levers in the MD-11 will move when thrust is increased or decreased in flight.

 

Well that did nothing

 

You need to push the thrust levers to above 70% to get the TOGA mode activated after pressing the AUTOFLIGHT button on the ground.

 

 

 

I then went to pedestal and pressed the TOGO button, but that did nothing!

 

That button only activates the go-around mode. It doesn't do anything during takeoff.

 

 

but nothing happened to throttles themselves.

 

Do you mean your external thrust levers or the MD-11 thrust levers in the sim? FSX will not control your thrust levers.

 

 

The thrust levers in the MD-11 will move when thrust is increased or decreased in flight.

 

Gotcha - assumed too much Airbus in my memory, I guess.  I've always considered it somewhat of a hybrid of the methodologies.

 

Thanks for the correction.

Craig

 

At the hold short position I arm NAV, PROF, and AUTOFLIGHT. Taxi onto runway and line up with centerline. Press period key for brakes. Advance throttle to 70-74% and let stabilize. Once stabilized advance throttle until you hear click and see T/O Clamp change to T/O Thrust on PFD. Release brakes. Rotate at VR. Press AUTOFLIGHT somewhere north of 600 ft AGL.

 

Michael Cubine

You have been given good advice on using the autothrottle for takeoff so I wont add to that.

 

Releasing the parking brake (your first problem), can be done either by mousing the park brake lever or using the FSX key command for parking brakes. "Ctrl ." is the command in FS9 ....possibly the same in FSX ?

 

Peter

The key as Micheal Cubine wrote is arming AUTOFLIGHT before you take the runway.  This arms the A/T system. Once you are on the runway, advance throttles to stabilize (70ish percent seems correct without checking the FCOM) then push beyond 70% and you will here the click and T/O CLAMP is displayed on the PFD. The engines will then spool up to their rating set up in the FMC for the takeoff roll.  Once airborne you are hand flying until you press AUTOFLIGHT again, then the full auto flight system is activated.

 

PMDG has this spelled out in their documentation...there are also numerous YouTube videos on it.  If you really want to learn it and want to spend the money, I recommend Angle of Attack's MD-11 series training.  It's as good a training tool that you will find for the sim world and it will get you operating the MD-11 as it should be operated.  

 

One point...The MD-11 is a quirky machine.  It has functions that are inherent to Airbus and Boeing, so it can be a bit confusing.  Spend some times with the systems and practice, practice, practice....lots of pattern work in this bird is required to get proficient in the low speed regime of flight.

 

Good luck!

Dave

Thanks folks!  I rebooted my computer and tried everything from scratch using my own outline for a checklist and everything works perfectly.  I must have gummed up the computer by continuously switching in and out of FSX as I stepped throught the FCOM procedures.  

 

As for manual flying:  I find this very easy to handle and control for a jumbo aircraft.  Have never flown MD-11 RW but did have some hours as FO in DC10-30 before my company hit the skids.  IIRC DC10 seemed like a dog compared to this but then again I am only trusting that PMDG has correctly simulated the handling characteristics (AWAP in the FSX environment of course.)  Gaining quick access to the different panels while in flight is getting pretty routine now after 2 flights.  That was a bit daunting at first.   Everything else really falls in place using the FCOM recommended flows.  The FMC was a bit different but really quite straight forward.  

 

I can't imagine why this aircraft was a dog for PMDG.  Maybe it was just way too sophisticated for the sim market back then.  PMDG makes sophisticated products for the serious user and a vast majority of simmers were looking for the "light" varieties that didn't require much thought or practice.  I am beginning to see a major change, however, at least as exhibited in the AVSIM forums.  This has become a hobby for the serious minded aviator and pilot wannabe.  Probably because the cost of training for a pilot RW is beyond reach for most nowadays.  I think it cost me somewhere in the neighborhood of $5000 to go from rank beginner to multi-engine commercial but I give my age away.  That was over 40 years ago when Avgas was about $.39 a gallon and aircraft rental was about $10 per hour!  But I digress...

 

Thanks everyone.  I am back planning another test flight this evening.  You all have a good one.

 

 

I can't imagine why this aircraft was a dog for PMDG.

 

I think it's more that people just more familiar with Boeing and Airbus aircraft and aren't familiar with the McDD way.

 

 

 

can be done either by mousing the park brake

 

Not from what I've seen. You can click on it to set the brakes but you can't click on it to release the brakes.

 

 

 

 

 

Not from what I've seen. You can click on it to set the brakes but you can't click on it to release the brakes.

 

You are right. Just checked it in FS9.  Parking brake can be set by mouse or "Ctrl."    But released by "." or pressing hardware brake pedals only. 

You are right. Just checked it in FS9.  Parking brake can be set by mouse or "Ctrl."    But released by "." or pressing hardware brake pedals only. 

 

This was done to be consistent with the real aircraft. You can't release the parking brake by using the parking brake lever, you need to depress the brake pedals.

 

 

That button only activates the go-around mode. It doesn't do anything during takeoff.

 

Not quite correct. Pressing this button during take-off roll will cancel your flex thrust setting and give you full T/O thrust.

 

Regards,

Markus

Still having the same issues on takeoff.  I don't wait to 70% before I release the brakes but usually about 40% then continue pushing up throttles (autoflight has been armed) but they never kick in.  I end up manually opening them to full TO power and overshooting my derate.   The only habit that I can think of that somehow might be affecting this as it did on the brake issue in another thread:  I always pause the simulator when lined up, save the flight and record the time/fuel.  I then unpause and begin the throttle up for takeoff.  I have tried pausing after I have armed NAV/PROFILE/AUTOFLIGHT as well as before I did so with the same unsatisfactory results.  None of the other complex simulations have ever been affected by this practice but I will try NOT pausing on my next test flight.  Any insight on this, please comment!

Craig

 

I blew a takeoff one time which I atttributed to too rapid advance of the thust levers and not letting N1 stabilize at around 70% before advancing thrust levers to T/O Thrust and not beyond and releasing the brakes

 

Michael Cubine