I just got myself a copy of this, and am regretting it already. As some of you may be aware I'm not big on the whole piloting thing, and all I really want to do with this is the same as all my other aircraft - for any actual flights (rather than pure screenshot stuff at an airport) I just want to be able to hot start on a runway, hit the gas and go. I can do this quite successfully with pretty much any other aircraft in MSFS, up to and including the likes of PMDG and the FSS 727. But not, apparently, this beast.

I have the aircraft state set as default of "ready to fly" via the EFB, but if I move the throttles forward the aircraft refuses to move and just bleats "brake" and "stabiliser". "brake" I can deal with, but "stabilizer"? Can't see anything in the quick start guide, and can't identify any obvious control in the cockpit.

Can anyone advise? I've posted a question (I think) on the TFDi discord channel, but as that is about as usable as ancient sumerian afaic I don't anticipate any joy there.

Thanks

https://www.google.com/search?q=which+hobby+is+right+for+me&oq=which+hobby+is+right+for+me

 

2 hours ago, andy1252 said:

Can anyone advise? I've posted a question (I think) on the TFDi discord channel, but as that is about as usable as ancient sumerian afaic I don't anticipate any joy there.

Thanks

Do yourself a favour and watch at least a tutorial video for this great aircraft. This is not a toy but a serious aircraft simulation. Take your time and you will have great fun with the MD-11.

Try this then subscribe to his page for the entire series.  Once you understand the few key data entry points it’s pretty much gas and go.  Good luck, it’s a total hoot to fly and I have the Trip 7 too.

-B

 

Watch a couple of YT tutorials then find some remote high altitude region of the globe (Andes highly recommended with Orbx SA mesh) and enjoy the scenery. Bonus: land on a 10,000ft less than 2000m runway. 

3 hours ago, andy1252 said:

I can do this quite successfully with pretty much any other aircraft in MSFS, up to and including the likes of PMDG and the FSS 727. But not, apparently, this beast.

It's indeed a beast. You need to tame it, which is part of the fun. Btw - I've never done a runway start - always cold and dark at the apron. 

To answer your specific questions:

16 hours ago, andy1252 said:

I have the aircraft state set as default of "ready to fly" via the EFB, but if I move the throttles forward the aircraft refuses to move and just bleats "brake" and "stabiliser". "brake" I can deal with, but "stabilizer"? Can't see anything in the quick start guide, and can't identify any obvious control in the cockpit.

You're getting "brake" because the parking brake is set. "Stabilizer" means that the stabilizer trim isn't set correctly for takeoff. If you want to just firewall the throttles and go, you may be able to get away with ignoring the stabilizer for now (but don't tell anyone I said so).

Some of you are posting links for the OP on how to fly the MD-11 when he clearly says " just want to be able to hot start on a runway, hit the gas and go". The MD-11 is a niche aircraft for those who want to learn it and fly it correctly. Unlike the easier PMDG this plane has a different FMC, MCP, Dial-A-Flaps, etc. I've found the Discord MD-11 question section very helpful if I had a question on something. This plane is defiantly not for him based on his requirements. Asking the question prior to purchase would have probably saved him a few dollars.  

Hi everybody, and thanks for (most of) the replies.

To respond to some specifics - @martinboehme, thanks for your very specific response. I was finding that the parking brake was not responding either to my standard mapped button press or via the lever in the cockpit. A bit of nosing on discord, much as I hate the place, determined that if you have a set of pedals installed, you need to hold the brakes full on via them and then the parking brake (key or lever) will work. And yes, that works. I also found that my standard controls for trim don't work either, but I can ignore those in the meantime as I have at least managed to get it airborne now.

@Wise87, I did indeed find a partial solution via discord (as above). I knew this was a complex aircraft when I bought it, but I still had what I consider a reasonable expectation that it would at least respond to the standard set of MSFS commands/key presses. I knew I was paying over the odds for the use I was likely to get from this, but I'm ok with that. I did make an enquiry like this before buying the FSS B727 recently but for whatever reason didn't do so here. I do feel that if a developer is going to insist on non-(MSFS)-standard procedures being used they should make that very clear in the sales blurb. I may still have bought it anyway, but at least I would have known what to expect.

@flyfoxx, @btacon, and @Cpt_Piett, thanks for the suggestions. I did look at the linked yootoob (I had seen that series as available) but I have to admit I find most of these sorts of things unwatchable. This guy wasn't the worst I've seen, but I still find myself getting terribly frustrated by all the unrehearsed faffing about that goes on in most of them, and there are a lot of assumptions in all of them about what you may already be familiar with.

Anyway, I can get the thing off the ground now, so that will do for the present. It is a fine looking aircraft and it has a proper interior, which is lacking from the SkySIm version I already had.

As to the issue of how I use the simulator, I'll just say that I really, really enjoy FLYING around the incredible digital world of MSFS. But that's "flying" as in "flying like a bird". I have less than zero interest in PILOTING an aircraft. Most of my airtime in the sim is in smaller aircraft, just heading out from an airport I like the look of and aimlessly flying around at lowish altitude taking in the scenery. I hardly ever use a flight plan, I've got ATC turned off, and I totally ignore most of what's going on in the cockpit. I basically hand fly everything everywhere.

I do also occasionally like to use the big tubes though, and that's where it gets boring as far as I'm concerned. I still want to be able to just pick an airport and head off out somewhere. Most of the time with no destination in mind. In fact, most of the time I just end the flight after about 20 minutes anyway. Occasionally I'll persevere if there's a short and interesting route I can see via Little Nav Map (which is about my only "piloting" tool). Otherwise if I want to pretend to do a flight I'll do a takeoff, mostly from the runway start but occasionally from a stand after playing around with GSX etc, kill the flight once I'm under way, and set up a separate flight for the arrival starting mid-air about 20 minutes out. I generally record all flights I do so that I can explore them after via playback. For me, there is nothing more boring than just sitting in a cockpit. I just don't see the point. Like I say, I'm not interested in flying the plane. The whole point about my record/replay approach is to allow me to experience the flight from an external / drone cam view.

So, does this make me a lousy pilot? Yep, you bet. And I wouldn't dream of claiming otherwise. I have no idea what a lot of the terms used in the various threads discussing the merits or otherwise of a newly released aircraft even mean, let alone have an opinion about the matter.

So does this mean I'm "just a gamer" and shouldn't be using a sim? Well, MSFS, XP and AF2 are the only bits of entertainment software I have and use. I've no more desire to pretend to be a mercenary, grand-prix driver, wizard, superhero, gangsta or any of the other game-playing roles than I do to pretend to be a pilot.

All power to those here who are totally focussed on learning to pilot a particular aircraft, and master all the intricacies of their particular chosen beast. I can see how that can attract people, particularly if they come from a background of flying the real thing or similar. And I've said before in other threads that I am amazed at some of the cockpits that people have built.

But for me, I just want to do the equivalent of leaping in to the air and flying off, and making my way round with just the basic controls/movements.

"fly like an eagle" does it for me.

13 hours ago, andy1252 said:

I have no idea what a lot of the terms used in the various threads discussing the merits or otherwise of a newly released aircraft even mean, let alone have an opinion about the matter.

So does this mean I'm "just a gamer" and shouldn't be using a sim? Well, MSFS, XP and AF2 are the only bits of entertainment software I have and use. I've no more desire to pretend to be a mercenary, grand-prix driver, wizard, superhero, gangsta or any of the other game-playing roles than I do to pretend to be a pilot.

Hehe I hear ya!

I like the feeling that I could step up if both pilots ate the fish.

But sometimes I also like to firewall it at Heathrow and eyeball the 20 or so miles to ... London City 😜 Done this in every aircraft I ever owned from the 737 to the 747 and including the MD11. Pretty often it's survivable. 

I mean, why wouldn't you? 

 

1 hour ago, tfm said:

if both pilots ate the fish.

Ha! love that phrase. That would make a great motto for a training school.

(and EGLL to EGLC seems perfectly reasonable to me. I might have a go at that in the Mriya <grin>)

19 hours ago, andy1252 said:

As to the issue of how I use the simulator, I'll just say that I really, really enjoy FLYING around the incredible digital world of MSFS. But that's "flying" as in "flying like a bird". I have less than zero interest in PILOTING an aircraft. Most of my airtime in the sim is in smaller aircraft, just heading out from an airport I like the look of and aimlessly flying around at lowish altitude taking in the scenery. I hardly ever use a flight plan, I've got ATC turned off, and I totally ignore most of what's going on in the cockpit. I basically hand fly everything everywhere.

Yeah, you know what? You don't owe us an explanation and the gatekeeping garbage that happened as the initial response to your question was out of line. This is something we all do for fun. Your fun isn't my fun but as my nephew has said since he was 6, "don't yuck my yum." Your fun looks different than mine, and that's perfectly fine. You do not have to defend yourself for having fun the way you want to.

 

1 hour ago, eslader said:

Yeah, you know what? You don't owe us an explanation and the gatekeeping garbage that happened as the initial response to your question was out of line. This is something we all do for fun. Your fun isn't my fun but as my nephew has said since he was 6, "don't yuck my yum." Your fun looks different than mine, and that's perfectly fine. You do not have to defend yourself for having fun the way you want to.

 

No worries. I didn't actually bother to go to that link anyway as the implications were fairly obvious, and I'm not particularly bothered what folk on here might think about me. But I do tend to try and fly the flag for the non-techie type of simming if and when I feel it may be appropriate. Although it may well be the case that the majority of folk on avsim are serious pilot types, I'm not at all convinced that's true of the wider customer base for MSFS.

And even if it is, Masobo certainly seem to be doing all the sorts of things that I want from the sim anyway, so that's fine by me too. About the only improvement I would like is for the whole "set a flight plan and have the AI fly the plane" thing upgraded to work successfully. Although I can usually achieve what I want to do with big tubeliner flights, it would be nice to be able to use the AI piloting and not find it had just decided to land in the sea parallel to the destination, ignore the target and keep on flying past it, or simply chosen to go somewhere it felt was more interesting anyway!

Cheers!

On 8/9/2024 at 9:29 PM, andy1252 said:

I just got myself a copy of this, and am regretting it already. As some of you may be aware I'm not big on the whole piloting thing, and all I really want to do with this is the same as all my other aircraft - for any actual flights (rather than pure screenshot stuff at an airport) I just want to be able to hot start on a runway, hit the gas and go. I can do this quite successfully with pretty much any other aircraft in MSFS, up to and including the likes of PMDG and the FSS 727. But not, apparently, this beast.

Lol from what you described, how you fly is very like my dad used to in FSX - he would firewall the throttles and then fly & navigate from the external view following roads and / or landmarks in a bizjet. Really had zero interest in anything in the cockpit itself.

That said he didn't want to spend to get the high end stuff either, but if that's what you want who is anyone else to object !

 

G

25 minutes ago, Gazzareth said:

very like my dad used to in FSX - he would firewall the throttles and then fly & navigate from the external view following roads and / or landmarks in a bizjet. Really had zero interest in anything in the cockpit itself.

Definitely my sort of approach!

Actually, now I can get the thing off the ground I'm really enjoying it. Even managed a session starting at a gate and all the messing around with GSX etc, then taxied out and took off ok. Still haven't figured out how to set the trim (doesn't seem to want to play well there any more than it did with the brakes). At least it has the aircraft states available in the EFB so I'll never have to go throught the whole "cold and dark" rigmarole.

cheers!

To those looking down on this conversation from their lofty perch (yes I know some of you are) I'm encouraged to see a self described 'casual' simmer spend the time to write and explain what they like and want to do. As well as giving respect to those of us who DO worry about the oil pressure during startup. 

You can buy a Ferrari and only use it to buy milk from the dollar store if you want. It's YOUR choice. 

To the OP. IF you have a good sound system or bass heavy headset.. You CAN have a blast starting cold (on runway if you like) and try to start the engines up from a checklist (only takes 5 mins max). 

There is nothing quite like the spool up bass noises this big bad bird can make when cranked thru a sub. If you start with engines on you miss out on that!