ICAO: MD11McDonnell Douglas (Boeing)IN FLEET INTEGRATION

McDonnell Douglas MD-11F

Standard operating procedures (SOP), automated interactive checklists, neural voice copilot readbacks, and flight systems simulation for the McDonnell Douglas MD-11F Tri-Jet Freighter.

SERVICE CEILING

FL430 (43,000 ft)

CRUISE SPEED

Mach 0.82 (475 kts)

MAX RANGE

3,950 NM (7,320 km at Max Payload)

MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT

285,990 kg (630,500 lbs)

FLEET EXPANSION ROADMAP

McDonnell Douglas MD-11F Checklist Flow in Development

Official airline checklists for the McDonnell Douglas MD-11F Tri-Jet Freighter are currently being developed. You can build the first community SOP checklist for this aircraft, or fly the fully integrated Boeing 737-800 NG flight deck.

Create Community SOP Fly B738 Deck

OPERATIONAL STANDARDS

Community & User-Submitted SOPs (0)

Custom airline profiles, virtual airline flows, and member procedures for McDonnell Douglas MD-11F.

COMMUNITY REPOSITORY

No Community SOPs Published Yet

Be the first aviator to publish custom operational flows for the McDonnell Douglas MD-11F. Checklists created via the Checklist Builder will be listed here.

Create First Community SOP (MD11)

FLIGHT CYCLE PHASES

Full Flight Deck Operational Progression

PHASE 01

Cockpit Setup & System Controllers

Battery ON, emergency power test, APU start, ASC controllers verify AUTO, FMS fuel and tail CG calculation.

PHASE 02

Pushback & 3-Engine Start

Hydraulic pumps AUTO, beacon ON, packs OFF, engine start sequence 3, 1, then center engine 2.

PHASE 03

Taxi & Configuration

Dial-a-flap setting (typically Flaps 15-28°), stabilizer trim green band, flight controls check, radar ON.

PHASE 04

Climb & High-Altitude Cargo Cruise

NAV / PROF modes engaged, tail fuel transfer monitoring, step climbs, high-altitude turbulence penetration speeds.

PHASE 05

Descent & High-Speed Approach

Approach briefing, Vref calculation (155-165 kts), gear down, flaps 35 or 50, autobrakes MED, maintain speed stability.

PHASE 06

Touchdown & Cargo Gate Arrival

Smooth flare (do not de-rotate abruptly), full reverse across all 3 engines, spoiler deployment, cooldown, engine shutdown.

HARDWARE & ADD-ON INTEGRATION

Simulator & Avionics Compatibility

Verified Flight Simulators

Tested on leading flight add-ons

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 / 2024 (TFDi Design MD-11 High-Fidelity Study-Level)
Prepar3D v3/v4/v5 (PMDG MD-11 Legacy)
X-Plane 11 / 12 (Rotate MD-11 Freighter & Passenger)

Key Systems Simulated

Checklist item triggers & flows

Tri-Jet Propulsion with #2 Tail Engine Duct

Center engine mounted in the vertical fin with S-duct style straight-through airflow and dedicated thrust reverser.

Automated System Controllers (ASC)

Advanced system automation that automatically reconfigures hydraulics, pneumatics, and electrical systems during component failures.

Longitudinal Stability Augmentation System (LSAS)

Sophisticated flight control sub-system designed to stabilize pitch control and provide speed margin protection for the smaller tailplane.

Active Fuel Center of Gravity Management System

Pumps fuel to and from the tail ballast tank in cruise to maintain optimum aft C.G. for reduced drag and fuel burn.

PILOT KNOWLEDGE BASE & DOSSIER

Technical Specifications, Trivia & Aviation Resources

In-depth operational references and airframe details for pilots preparing to command the McDonnell Douglas MD-11F.

OPERATIONAL LIMITS & AIRFRAME METRICS

Powerplants

3x GE CF6-80C2D1F / Pratt & Whitney PW4462

Rated up to 61,500 lbf per engine

Maximum Revenue Payload

91,080 kg (200,800 lbs)

Main deck cargo door 140 x 102 inches

Cargo Pallet Capacity

26 main deck pallets + 32 LD3 containers

Underfloor forward/aft cargo holds

Wingspan

51.77 m (169 ft 10 in)

Distinctive upper/lower winglet configuration

Usable Fuel Capacity

146,170 L (117,500 kg / 259,000 lbs)

Includes tail trim tank with automated CG balance

Reference Landing Speed

158 kts (Vref MLW)

High approach speeds characteristic of the MD-11

Avionics Suite

Honeywell Advanced Flight Deck (FGS/FMS)

Six 8x8 CRT/LCD screens with Dual MCDUs

CHIEF INSTRUCTOR BRIEFING & OPERATIONAL NOTES

The MD-11 requires meticulous pitch handling during flare and touchdown. Never pull back aggressively on the yoke in the flare; doing so can cause the LSAS to pitch up excessively, leading to a hard bounce and potential tail strike.

AIRCRAFT TRIVIA & HIGHLIGHTS

1FACT #1

FedEx Express and UPS Airlines have been the two largest operators of the MD-11F in aviation history, flying it on heavy domestic and global trunk routes.

2FACT #2

The MD-11 has a horizontal tail area about 30% smaller than the DC-10 to reduce drag, relying heavily on the LSAS computer system for pitch stability.

3FACT #3

It has one of the highest landing approach speeds in modern civil aviation, frequently touching down around 155 to 165 knots depending on weight.

CURATED AVIATION RESOURCES & DOCUMENTATION

DISPATCH

SimBrief MD-11F Cargo Dispatch Profile

Accurate CF6 and PW4000 fuel burn matrices, cargo pallet limits, and tail fuel calculations.

Open External Resource

RADAR LIVE

Flightradar24 MD-11 Live Tracking

Live radar tracking of FedEx and UPS MD-11F freighters flying worldwide right now.

Open External Resource

OFFICIAL DOC

MD-11 Flight Crew Operating Manual (FCOM)

Comprehensive systems guide, performance tables, and abnormal procedures.

Open External Resource