744 or MD11?
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744 or MD11?
Been flying the MD11 for some time now but have the opportunity to go to the 747-400 and was wondering what the pros/cons were from those who have flown both etc. Colleagues of mine have weighed in but always looking for opinions from those not directly related. Pay is the same by the way so that is not a considering factor.
Regards.
Regards.
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Fly the last greatest legacy of MDC or fly the greatest largest flying machine Boeing has designed. Sorry I have little insight on the flying part other than the 744 is less demanding. Do you want to fly, or do you want a easy job? It all depends on what get's your rocks off!
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I have yet to find someone flying the "queen of the skies" with anything negative to say. I came off the 747-200 and thought I would miss it, but the 744 is absolutely lovely, I would happily spend the rest of my career on it. 
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Go for the 744; the easiest plane to land, almost always greasers! Crosswind landings are a dream compared to the DC-10 which I reckon the MD-11 taes after. But then it makes you complacent, so watch out.
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First off, your chance of crashing will be 7x less than on the MD-11, so that is nice.
I believe the MD-11 is newer, so I think the automation will work better than on the 744. The VNAV on the 744 is "high maintenance". If ATC does not mess with your profile at all, it will work. The more speed and altitude restrictions and/or vectors you get, the worse it does. It takes a long time to process changes, and is liable to stop working all together. It is not so nice to hear in the the sim when the highly experienced instructor tells you he is not sure if the vnav will start the descent at the next point or not, and be ready to manually intervene.
Also, depending on the software load, the database can be quite limited. It is an old processor and old hard drive, so it definitely has its limits!
The plane flies great. I like having 4 engines over water/mountains/desert.
The cockpit, from the capt/fo seat is VERY cramped! It's a 707 cockpit jammed into the top of the 744 fuselage.
Overall, it is very nice. The 747-8, should fix all these automation problems and be phenomenal.
I have only talked to MD-11 guys on the road about their aircraft. If everything else is equal, I would go for the 744.
Also, there are more contract jobs available on the 744 than the MD-11. And, in the US, the 744 and 747-8 are the same type rating, so that is good for jobs.
cliff
KGRB
I believe the MD-11 is newer, so I think the automation will work better than on the 744. The VNAV on the 744 is "high maintenance". If ATC does not mess with your profile at all, it will work. The more speed and altitude restrictions and/or vectors you get, the worse it does. It takes a long time to process changes, and is liable to stop working all together. It is not so nice to hear in the the sim when the highly experienced instructor tells you he is not sure if the vnav will start the descent at the next point or not, and be ready to manually intervene.
Also, depending on the software load, the database can be quite limited. It is an old processor and old hard drive, so it definitely has its limits!
The plane flies great. I like having 4 engines over water/mountains/desert.
The cockpit, from the capt/fo seat is VERY cramped! It's a 707 cockpit jammed into the top of the 744 fuselage.
Overall, it is very nice. The 747-8, should fix all these automation problems and be phenomenal.
I have only talked to MD-11 guys on the road about their aircraft. If everything else is equal, I would go for the 744.
Also, there are more contract jobs available on the 744 than the MD-11. And, in the US, the 744 and 747-8 are the same type rating, so that is good for jobs.
cliff
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IMHO no comparison
4 years F/O MD-11 followed (some time later) by 13 years captain B744
I miss the look, feel, and quiet of the MD-11 cockpit
I do not miss the clumsy FMS transactions or inadequate crew rest facility
As for LSAS when a manual landing in gusting or cross winds is required - be as careful and wary as you would in the company of a mistress (or wife lol) who you just gave some bad news
I always said the MD-11 rewarded a smooth and competent pilot, but could hurt you if you were having a bad day
Not so the B744
If one could ascribe personality traits to a huge chunk of steel and aluminum, I would describe the machine as being much like your favorite golden retriever dog
It is obedient and happily does what you tell it to do
It tolerates your foibles and is - usually - very forgiving of your errors
If it does not like what you are doing, it will let you know well in advance before issuing a low growl or a small bite
Despite the good heart, it has - as mentioned above - a limited brain that occasionally needs time to think before responding to multiple commands
All in all, a trusting and trustworthy companion
After so many years, I find the most difficult part of flying the B744 to be the number of time zones in a month, and the inexperienced F/Os (as little as 2 years total time) that bear watching
The airplane itself is a piece of cake
One last thought - another type rating on your resume never hurts
Lots of contracts out there for B744 crew members too
Unless the move would significantly and adversely affect your present quality of life - or your colleagues on the B744 are complaining loudly about their monthly rosters - I would recommend a 'yea' to training
Good luck
I miss the look, feel, and quiet of the MD-11 cockpit
I do not miss the clumsy FMS transactions or inadequate crew rest facility
As for LSAS when a manual landing in gusting or cross winds is required - be as careful and wary as you would in the company of a mistress (or wife lol) who you just gave some bad news
I always said the MD-11 rewarded a smooth and competent pilot, but could hurt you if you were having a bad day
Not so the B744
If one could ascribe personality traits to a huge chunk of steel and aluminum, I would describe the machine as being much like your favorite golden retriever dog
It is obedient and happily does what you tell it to do
It tolerates your foibles and is - usually - very forgiving of your errors
If it does not like what you are doing, it will let you know well in advance before issuing a low growl or a small bite
Despite the good heart, it has - as mentioned above - a limited brain that occasionally needs time to think before responding to multiple commands
All in all, a trusting and trustworthy companion
After so many years, I find the most difficult part of flying the B744 to be the number of time zones in a month, and the inexperienced F/Os (as little as 2 years total time) that bear watching
The airplane itself is a piece of cake
One last thought - another type rating on your resume never hurts
Lots of contracts out there for B744 crew members too
Unless the move would significantly and adversely affect your present quality of life - or your colleagues on the B744 are complaining loudly about their monthly rosters - I would recommend a 'yea' to training
Good luck
