PMDG 777 rapid descent

Hi,

 

I have a descent problem with the pmdg 777 if my nose is pointed slightly up enough to level off then it is descending at 3300 feet a minute any fixes.

Sounds as if you've stalled. Nose up doesn't automatically mean climb or level. You don't mention airspeed, altitude, power setting or other factors that might be useful to help you. if you're at low airspeed and low power and the nose is up, you may well be stalling, especially if you have the extra drag from landing gear or flaps.

 

Given all that, though, I don't know anything about the handling on that aircraft (how well did they do the flight model), so possibly there's a contributing factor there.

I was doing 247 knots I was trying to go up to FL360 but when I got up to FL350 I lowered my nose a bit I have a image of the PFD but I can't post because it's to big

You need to really read the Introduction document and go through the tutorial. Really.

 

DJ

but I have been flying this aircraft for about a year now and it was working fine

Is that 247 knots INDICATED or TRUE airspeed, or were you trying to use GROUNDSPEED (useless for flight). Remember that in the flight levels there are huge differences, and only IAS or mach percentage becomes useful to you up there.

 

On the chance that you might have used groundspeed, winds have a huge effect, and with wind variations you can have the airplane going its max speed through the air or stalling at the same groundspeed. I mention this because your initial description sounds as if you may be stalled.

it was 247 knots IAS and the wind was 0 knots and the aircraft wasn't stalling because it was about 3 degrees nose up and if it was 10 degrees nose up it starts to climb

it was 247 knots IAS and the wind was 0 knots and the aircraft wasn't stalling because it was about 3 degrees nose up and if it was 10 degrees nose up it starts to climb

 

At what altitude were you at 247 IAS? Did you switch over to MACH?

You stalled. At higher pitch you have more lift. (up to a point).

Read the manual. You need it.

it was 247 knots IAS and the wind was 0 knots and the aircraft wasn't stalling because it was about 3 degrees nose up and if it was 10 degrees nose up it starts to climb

 

This brings up an unfortunately common belief among simmers (and even some pilots), thinking that pitch attitude and airspeed alone determine the stall. 'Taint so. An aircraft can stall in ANY attitude. And at high altitudes the margin between stalling and cruise is fairly small. With just a bit of G-loading (i.e. you pulled back too hard) it can easily stall, especially in the high flight levels. Just as a (real world) example, I once stalled a Stearman at high speed (high for a Stearman, over 130 mph) coming out the back side of a loop, with the nose about 60º down -- as soon as I realized it, I relaxed the back pressure (not adding more) and it came out of the stall and I finished recovering from the loop.

 

A stall isn't a specific airspeed, EXCEPT under a specific G-loading and at a specific weight. A stall is an angle of attack (specific to the wing, but often 15º-20º), but that is RELATIVE wind related, not pitch attitude in relation to the ground, and you can get that angle of attack in ANY pitch attitude. In that example above I had exceeded the Stearman's stalling angle of attack, that is, the relative wind was in excess of (probably around) 18º relative to the wing, even though my pitch attitude was around -60º.

 

So go back to this scenario that you had trouble with and try again, this time being very, very gentle with your stick pressures, and not in such a hurry to "level off." I suspect you'll find that it'll work properly.

How heavy were you? Were you trying to go to a flight level you were to heavy for?

 

 

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