PMDG MD-11 FAQ
From PMDG Ops
This article contains frequently asked questions and usage tips for our PMDG MD-11 simulation.
Installation and validation
Why is an internet connection required to install?
Unfortunately piracy runs rampant in today's software world. Live online validation is the only way for PMDG to ensure that our products are being installed by legitimate users. It only takes a minute and you do NOT need an active internet connection to fly the plane after installing. A complete explanation of the activation process can be found here.
Why do I see blank screens after loading the plane?
This is a failure of the validation system. First try reinstalling the aircraft and if the problem persists, contact Support with your name and order ID and we'll get the issue sorted out!
FSX vs. FS9
This section will be updated as we get closer to the FS9 release. We anticipate that the only significant differences will be in the visual model due to differences in the core display and animation engine in both sims.
General information and tips
What is the green "Initializing" message at the top of the screen after loading the MD-11?
We have implemented a short initialization routine that ensures that all elements of the MD-11 panel's systems are up and running and communicating with each other. It sets the engines and aircraft systems to the correct state and in the case of a panel state load is properly configuring the FMS and so on. During this period you can look around the cockpit, open/close windows, and browse the MCDU pages, but to be on the safe side you shouldn't operate any systems switches, enter anything into the MCDU, open any FS menus, or try to load another panel state.
FSX 2D panel view angle
To adjust the 2D Panel viewing angle up or down, use:
Down: Ctrl+Q Up: Ctrl+Shift+Q
2D popups
We have provided custom keyboard commands assignable from the PMDG menu that will pop up the 2D panel elements like the FCP, MCDU, radios etc. These commands work in both the 2D panel and in the VC.
Lighting shortcut
If you double-click a variable lighting dial in either direction it will move between full brightness and off instantly.
Cabin Lights
The cabin lights at night are an independent function from the normal FS lighting controls. Simply set a keypress for them in the PMDG Options menu and you'll be able to turn them on and off.
What does ADD DRAG mean?
This message appears on the left side of the ND in the following situations and is prompting the pilot to extend the speedbrakes:
- The aircraft is unable to meet the next altitude or speed constraint.
- The aircraft's speed in descent has risen to 10 knots or greater above the commanded speed due to things like improper winds entry or a PROF path that is too steep to maintain the target airspeed. The message will clear when the aircraft gets back within 3 knots of the target.
This is essentially the FMS asking assistance from the pilot to reduce speed, but it is not always obligatory to do so. If you see that the speed is reducing and it will eventualy get back on target you don't have to necessarily extend speedbrakes. For example, if an abrupt wind change makes the speed go temporarily out of target, it is up to you to decide if and how much (1/3, 2/3, FULL) speedbrakes should be applied. Remember to retract the speedbrakes when the message goes away. It is easy to forget them because the MD-11 displays do not provide any indication of speedbrakes position.
Known limitations & issues
Panel window limit
The MD-11 uses a very advanced and unique system to deliver such high fidelity cockpit lighting and panel view options. FS has a 64 window limit for panels and by default the MD-11 uses up 61 of them. This means that you have to be aware of this and can only attempt to use a maximum of 3 other panel windows associated with other addons. This includes things like FS2Crew, the Active Sky radar gauge, ProFlight 2000 Emulator, and anything else that installs itself as a panel window.
If you go over this limit you will lose MD-11 panel functionality and begin seeing problems with the panel lighting. If you are having issues with the panel, especially in the VC, first ensure that you are not trying to use more than 64 panel windows.
Flashing or shaking screen during the "Initialization" message
This issue can occur on some video cards with certain combinations of antialiasing and vsync settings. We have no control over this and the effect will go away after the initialization countdown completes.
Flashing speed modes on the FMA
If speeds exceed certain internal mode limits but the speed trend is simultaneously going in the opposite direction due to sudden and unrealistic FS wind, pressure, or temperature shifts, the FMA speed mode may be seen flashing between two different modes. This shouldn't occur very often but we want users to be aware of its cause.
FS Time Compression
You may experience issues if you use an FS time compression value below 1X or above 8X. This can include control instability, such as the aircraft doing strange flips in midair at 1/2 speed and the inability of the autopilot to maintain the lateral and vertical path above 8X.
PMDG_MD11_ACS.dll unable to load error
This is caused by corruption of FSX's dll.xml file and unfortunately requires the uninstall and reinstall of the MD-11 and any other addons that use dll.xml. One of your other addons is ruining the structure of the file somehow and corrupting it. (we are positive it's not our installer doing it)
Here is the procedure to fix it:
- dll.xml is located in \Documents and Settings\(Your User Name)\Application Data\Microsoft\FSX on Windows XP, or \Users\(Your User Name)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\FSX on Windows Vista. Find the file and open it using Notepad.
- Make note of all the third party addons present in the file. (don't worry about the Microsoft entries)
- Uninstall those addons and the MD-11 from Add/Remove Programs in XP or Programs and Features in Vista.
- Delete the dll.xml file.
- Reinstall the MD-11. This will place a known good dll.xml file in the folder that has the base Microsoft entries and the PMDG entries in it.
- Run FSX, answering Yes to all dll prompts, and then load the MD-11 on the Free Flight screen, again answering Yes to any dll prompts.
- Verify that the MD-11 is working, then quit FSX.
- Make a backup copy of dll.xml and begin installing the addons that were in your original file, one by one. You want to make a dll.xml backup before installing each addon.
- After each addon install, check dll.xml and see if the neat tree structure of the file coding has been collapsed - if it has then the addon you just installed is the culprit.
- Once you find the culprit, uninstall it and restore the dll.xml previous to that addon's install. Please contact the maker of that addon and inform them that their installer is destroying the carriage return formatting of dll.xml and ask them to please fix it.
Landing lights don't illuminate the ground or appear off to the side of the aircraft
This is caused by the XGraphics texture enhancement part of the Active Sky X weather program. Until a solution is found, we do not recommend use of XGraphics with the MD-11. Restoring XGraphics's backup and disabling it should fix the issue for now.
Tips for Boeing pilots
This section of the FAQ will attempt to explain some of the basic MD-11 systems methodology in terms of how similar features work on the Boeing 7x7 series aircraft you're likely more familiar with. If you're familiar with Airbus systems logic, some of that general knowledge will apply here, though be aware that many things on the MD-11 aren't exactly like an Airbus either.
MCP
The glareshield MCP (mode control panel) used to command the autopilot on a Boeing is called the FCP (flight control panel) on the MD-11.
Flight Mode Annunciator
The MD-11's FMA (located at the top of the PFD display) works slightly differently than you may be used to. Essentially you can see one of three colors present in each of the three FMA fields representing speed, roll and pitch. These colors have different meanings:
- Magenta = the mode is following FMS generated commands.
- White = the mode is following manual commands coming from the FCP.
- Green = the mode is following commands associated with performing an autoland.
Keeping this color coding system in mind will quickly allow you to ascertain where the autopilot is getting its command information from at any time.
Autothrottle & autopilot relationship
The autothrottle and autopilot systems on the MD-11 are NOT independent of each other in the way that they are on Boeing aircraft. Before takeoff, pressing the AUTOFLIGHT button on the FCP arms both the autothrottle and the autopilot takeoff modes. Advancing the throttles manually past around 60% N1 will cause the autothrottle system to actually engage and begin controlling thrust. There is an audible click sound from the panel when this happens. After takeoff, press Autoflight again to do the equivalent of pressing one of the autopilot CMD buttons on a Boeing. This will actually give control of the pitch and roll modes over to the AP. From this point on, the two systems are completely unified and essentially operate as a combined system until disengagement at landing.
Disconnecting the autopilot & autothrottle
The MD-11 does NOT have "hard" switches on the FCP for disconnecting the AP and AT the way Boeing airplanes do. The only way to do disconnect them are via the soft disconnect switches located on the yoke and throttle in the real aircraft. There are key commands assignable in the PMDG menu for simulating these buttons. Upon pressing the AP disconnect, you will hear a disconnect warning, simply press the AP disconnect again to cancel this warning.
To reconnect the system, simply press AUTOFLIGHT on the FCP. This will reconnect BOTH the AP and AT.
The two AFS OVRD OFF switches on the FCP below the AUTOFLIGHT button are NOT regular autopilot disconnect switches like you may be used to on a Boeing! These switches completely disable the MD-11's automatics and you will lose other AFS functions that are normally available even with the AP disengaged such as ATS speed protection.
Flaps
The MD-11 is equipped with a unique variable flap lever position called Dial-A-Flap. It allows for any takeoff flap setting between 10 and 25 degrees to be set on the pedestal. 15 degrees is standard though it may be more optimal to use a different value depending on the situation. DAF is only used during takeoff, for approach it must be set to 15 degrees.
RTE, LEGS, & DEP/ARR
The MD-11's MCDU does not have dedicated pages for these functions the way a Boeing's CDU does. They are all handled through a single page associated with each waypoint called the Lateral Revision (LAT REV) page. Pressing the MCDU LSK to the left of a waypoint on the F-PLAN page brings you to the LAT REV page for that waypoint. This page allows you to do a number of things including inserting waypoints and airways, SIDs, STARs, and approaches.
It is very important to note that LAT REV should always be called up FROM the last waypoint prior to what you want. So if you want to add a STAR for instance, you need to bring up the LAT REV page for the last enroute waypoint before you want the STAR to start and add it from there.
The rough 1:1 comparisons between a Boeing FMC's pages are as follows:
- RTE - Origin and destination airports are entered on the F-PLAN INIT page. The familar VIA and TO columns for airway entries are located by pressing the AIRWAYS page, accessed through a waypoint's LAT REV page.
- LEGS - The F-PLAN page is roughly equivalent, though many modifications to the flight plan happen through a waypoint's LAT REV page and not directly on the F-PLAN page and scratchpad the way you'd do with a Boeing. The flight plan between your destination and your alternate appears at the bottom of the waypoint list, after the main origin to destination plan. The Boeing convention of making modifications to the route by line selecting waypoints from further downrange up into a new position does not apply here, you must use the LAT REV page's NEXT WPT prompt.
- DEP/ARR - You insert SIDs, STARs, and approaches by using the SID and STAR pages, accessed through the LAT REV page. You should add a SID from origin airport's LAT REV page and a STAR from the last enroute waypoint's LAT REV page.
Direct To
Going direct to a waypoint in the MD-11 is a dedicated function on the MDCU, accessed by pressing the DIR INTC key. You can NOT go direct by line selecting a waypoint to the top of the F-PLAN page the way you would do on a Boeing CDU. Simply press DIR INTC, then line select the waypoint into the box at the top or type it into the scratchpad. Confirm it and off you go.
HDG HOLD & HDG SEL
The MD-11's version of these modes are accessed by either pushing the heading knob to hold current heading, or pulling the knob to fly the selected heading in the box.
ALT HOLD & LVL CHG/FLCH
The MD-11 has modes roughly equivalent to both Boeing modes that can be engaged by pushing the altitude knob to hold the current altitude or pulling it to engage a pitch-for-speed mode similar to Boeing's LVL CHG or FLCH modes. It will climb or descend and capture the altitude in the window.
LNAV
This is simply called NAV on the MD-11's FCP and the button is located below the heading knob.
VNAV
The MD-11's version of VNAV is called PROF, short for "profile" and can be activated with the PROF button below the altitude knob.
Speed modes
Pushing the speed knob will hold the current airspeed, pulling it will fly the selected speed in the window, and pressing the FMS button will blank the window and allow the FMS to command speed.
FMS speed targets
The MD-11 is unique in a couple of respects with regard to FMS speed targets and restrictions. All speed targets are treated as AT OR BELOW, which means that you could end up crossing at a lower speed than what you'd entered in for a particular waypoint if the FMS deems it necessary. The FMS is smart and if you tell it to descend steeply and decelerate at the same time, the deceleration will get moved backwards along the route to account for the decent that's required later on. Don't be alarmed if you see this propagation of lower speeds up into waypoints you didn't set restrictions for, it's just the airplane helping you manage your energy.
Speed control during approach
Boeing pilots will be used to exercising manual control over the aircraft's speed during approach by using the MCP speed window. This is NOT how the MD-11 is designed. It is completely normal for the MD-11 to land with the speed window closed and under full FMS control.
The FMS calculates approach speed on the basis of a few rules during the approach sequence, each distance listed is the point during the approach where these speed reductions must occur by, but they can occur earlier if calculations demand it.
- 15 to 11 miles - Slats +20.
- 7 miles - Dial-a-flap +20
- 6 miles - Flaps 28 +5
- 5 miles - landing flaps +5
The aircraft will automatically decelerate to these speeds provided you have the aircraft configured correctly as far as flap settings. You will see a hollow magenta circle on the speed tape indicating that it's time to deploy the next flap setting.
Autoland
Performing an autoland in the MD-11 is as simple as pressing the APPR/LAND button located on the FCP above the AUTOFLIGHT button. Provided you are tuned to an ILS frequency that contains both a localizer and glideslope, (which is done automatically by the FMS) the plane will execute an autoland unless you take over manually.
The type of autoland is determined when you descend below 1,500 ft AGL as follows:
- If all your systems are opering normally you will see a green DUAL LAND annunciation on the PFD FMA indicating a full CAT III autoland.
- If you have failures that are not critical for the autoland (for example, one of the two autopilots inoperative or one HYD system failed) a white SINGLE LAND will be annunciated and a CAT II autoland will apply.
- If you have critical system failures, or excessive deviation from LOC or GS a white APPR ONLY will be annunciated and the autoland function will not be available. The aircrtaft will continue to track LOC and GS, but autopilot will disconnect at 100 ft AGL.
IMPORTANT In an autoland the AP remains engaged after touch down to keep the aircraft aligned to the runway. At the end of the rollout you should manually disengage the autopilot, otherwise you will not be able to taxi, since the AP will still try to keep you on runway track.
