An FCOM is typically divided into multiple volumes, each serving a specific operational purpose. For the MD-11, these are often categorized by airline operators (such as the widely referenced KLM MD-11 FCOM documents):

The Flight Crew Operating Manual (FCOM) is a critical document for pilots, providing detailed information on operating procedures, performance, and systems of an aircraft. For the MD-11, the FCOM would include sections on pre-flight checks, normal and abnormal procedures, emergency procedures, and performance data.

When the MD-11 was introduced in December 1990, its FCOM described a revolutionary leap forward: an all-new designed for only two pilots. This manual detailed the elimination of the Flight Engineer position, a standard for previous tri-jets like the DC-10. Pilots opening the manual for the first time found a digital setup featuring advanced avionics and unique winglets—a design collaboration with NASA to maximize efficiency. Performance Shortfalls and the Freight Revolution