MD-11 FMS Gotcha's
 

Rank your top 5 MD-11 FMS Gotcha's. Example would be "cleared to intercept the localizer" 35 miles out and forgetting to hard tune the ILS Freq/inbound course outside of 25 miles.

Sounds like more of a F#$K up than a gotcha. Maybe it should be top 5 operator errors. The FMS was doing it's job, but the lose nut behind the wheel screwed up. :eek:

I want to know how to make the FMS execute a step climb. I have read and followed TO THE LETTER the book answer in the CFM. I cannot remember exactly but I believe it's S/320 for example.

I have run into requests from Gander to "Climb and maintain TO BE LEVEL at FL 320 at 50W" while we needed to stay at 300 for weight, winds, etc. Every time I put it in the FMS and dial in "320" on the altitude window the jet wants to climb.

There has got to be a way to program the FMS to step climb so as to be level by a defined waypoint. I cannot get the one in the book to work so I just dial in the new altitude 20 or so miles out from the point.

I have never flown the MD-11 but have flown numerous FMS aircraft none of which could you program a step climb. Although the computer knows your current weight, altitude, temperature and winds it cannot accurately predict these factors as you climb. In a climb, it is restricted to thrust and airspeed limits. In a descent, you can vary thrust (idle to max), airspeed (within limits) and use the always handy speedbrakes to make an altitude restriction. Hope that answers your question

You need to put the restriction in as "/s300" at the point prior to 50W to keep you from climbing, and put the "/f320" on the 50W waypoint. If the point prior to 50W is too soon to climb, you have to create and artificial point ex> "50W/-20" or something to that effect.
WG

Good explanation. You have to put /S the level you are at on the vert rev to tell the FMS that you want to cross that point at that level. After you pass that the aircraft will climb to the level in the FCP. Caution!! If you put /300 instead of /S300 the FMS will start a slow descent to your destination. Look at your PROG page and the 35.0 landing fuel may have turned into 3.0.:(
There are times when you put the step climb in correctly it still wants to climb right away. It should not work that way, but it happens on occasion.

The other way the Step climb works is if for example your westbound from Paris and your planned crossing LVL is F320 but the FMS shows a climb 20 minutes after the entry point. In that case put the /S320 at the entry point and the aircraft will climb to cross that point level. You are just forcing it to climb before the FMS figures you should. If you are really too heavy the FMS will tell you so.

OK World, I'll do that the next time. What I did in the past was /S320 at 50W thinking the FMS would say "OK, he wants me to step climb to be at FL320 at 50W." Then when I've dialed in FL320 in the FCP, she climbs.

You say put /S320 at the point prior to 50W and put /320 at 50w, dial 320 in the FCP and she'll climb to be AT FL320 AT the 50W point.

I don't want to climb earlier than 50W, I want the jet to climb to be AT FL320 AT 50W.

I have also just used an artificial point prior as you suggested which works too. If you read the CFM, it sounds to me like just /S320 and FL320 in the FCP works but I haven't found that to be the case.

solve all these problems by bidding THE BUS!!!!!

No, you have to put the "/sCurrentALT" to keep it from stepping. Ex: /s300 prior fix, /fl320 at 50W.

And do what??? Night hubturns to Peoria!! No Thanks :D