DC-10 landing issue

[Mike_Kramer]

I must be doing something wrong since no one has posted this. I love the DC-10 but have had to avoid it because everytime I touchdown and try to use the rudder to straighten out the aircraft nothing happens. The rudder is unresponsive until the nose gear is on the ground…unfortunately by then i’m off the runway :-( Any ideas? Thanks guys!

[JRRaviation]

Not an issue…Simply pilot error. Check out the landing tutorial here:

DC-10 / MD-11 Landing Tutorial

Well, now that you’ve seen the takeoff tutorial, you need to know how to be able to land in the DC-10 and MD-11. In this video, I cover the approach speeds, flap settings, pitch angle, and more. These aircraft are a lot of fun to takeoff and land with, but they can be challenging. This video will help you have a better idea on how to safely land the iconic DC-10 and MD-11! Happy Landings!

[Mike_Kramer]

Ive seen it, but maybe i missed something, thanks I’ll watch it again now.

[JRRaviation]

Sounds good. Make sure you are landing noise into the wind.

[dylonez]

I’m not sure it’s pilot error that the rudder isn’t working. 🤷‍♂️

Only thing that could back you up is that you have to slide the rudder back and forth not tap it back and forth

[JRRaviation]

Your rudder will be responsive once you have hit the ground - so be sure to get your nose to the ground faster than normal on crosswind landings.

[Mike_Kramer]

Yeah watched it again, he was perfectly aligned didnt even have to touch the rudder… gonna see if anyone has posted youtube vids of them landing the DC-10 and making rudder adjustments immediately after touchdown. I never land on the red end of the runway, always land on the end with green or orange.

[JRRaviation]

This happens on all aircraft.

[Mike_Kramer]

Gotcha, thank you for the help!

[JRRaviation]

Once you have found your solution, be sure to hit a tick mark on the post that helped you the most :)

[schyllberg]

Rudder should work in the air too… that’s the whole point of it.

[JRRaviation]

Of course it’s going to work in the air, he is talking about when he has landed the rudder doesn’t move the aircraft until the nose wheel has touched the ground.

[Mags885]

The DC10/MD11 rudder was too small for the aircraft and famously unresponsive in the Air. It should be able to straighten you up enough to not go plowing off the runway though.

[schyllberg]

It should still be able change the point of direction of the aircraft.

But @Mags885 have a good point.

[Mike_Kramer]

@Mags885 you hit the nail on the head, after a few landings keeping my nose in the air longer than usual, the rudder is responsive… the aircraft is just much slower to react than I am used to with other aircrafts.