MD-11 - PAL

Featuring the Boeing MD-11, presented by Captain Ruud Bakker and First Officer Robert Lenz.

• 183 minute
• Martinair Airways
• Amsterdam > Palma de Mallorca > Amsterdam
• Platinum Collection
• Filmed using a total of 7 cameras

You will join Ruud and Robert in the Flight Operations briefing room at the Martinair building at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport.

There you'll be first given a full briefing about the flight, the route, weather and fuel. We then go out to the aircraft (PH-MCS) for the start of our journey from Amsterdam (EHAM) to Palma de Mallorca (LEPA). Departure is from Amsterdam's Schiphol airport using runway 19L on a Lekko SID, call sign Martinair 341.

Ruud explains in great detail the whole departure as he is actually flying it. Once settled in the cruise at 37,000 feet, Ruud introduces you to the FCP (Flight Control Panel), FMA (Flight Mode Annunciator), FMC (Flight Management Computer), FMS (Flight Management System), Climb Thrust and Pitch, Pilot Selection Mode verses FMS Mode, Nav Mode, PFD (Primary Flight Display), PLI (Pitch Limit Indicator), and FPA (Flight Path Angle).

We then follow Ruud and Robert in the descent and make an approach to Palma de Mallorca using runway 24L. Hear the Air Traffic Control for the flights and follow the checklists as you discover this state of the art aircraft from a very privileged perspective from the flightdeck!

About Captain Ruud Bakker
Captain Ruud Bakker, Martinair's Senior Chief Pilot, was born on August 24, 1954 in Haarlem, The Netherlands. Ruud started his flight training in September 1973 at the Government Aviation School (RLS, Rijksluchtvaart school) in Eelde, The Netherlands, where he flew the C-150, Saab-Safir and C-500. He finished school in May 1976 with a CPL, theoretical ATPL and a C-500 rating. From May 1976 Ruud flew sightseeing trips in a C-172. In September that year he left for Kenya and briefly flew part time for "Sight by Wings", an organisation that transports eye-doctors to places in Kenya, Tanzania, Sudan and the Comores Islands.

In March 1977 Ruud returned to The Netherlands to take up an invitation by Martinair's Director of Flight Operations to start a job as crew-scheduler, with the option of getting a job as a pilot as soon as a vacancy became available. During September 1977 Ruud started as a co-pilot on the DC-9-30 and in February 1979 a co-pilot on the DC-10-30 and progressed in May 1986 to his first captaincy on the A310-200.

From 1987 he became a TRI (instructor), and in 1988 a chief-instructor, from 1990 till the end of 1993 he also became chief pilot. In 1994 Ruud helped prepare Martinair for the introduction of the MD-11, along with his MD-11 training with Swissair which lead him on to a position as chief instructor on the MD-11 Fleet.

In January 1997 he was made chief-pilot MD-11 Fleet and in September 1999 he became Martinair's Senior Chief Pilot. Ruud is married and has two children.