Robert

[Guest]

Mr. Robert,I had a quick question for you. If I recall correctly several years ago when you produced the first FLY! PMDG aircraft you mentioned that you were interested in producing a 747 with all the guages. From my Emergency Action memory, there are about 900 switches in the older model 747's (200, 300 models) and however many guages. Have you or will you seriously considered makeing a 747-200 or 747-300 for FLY!II? Having an REALISTIC non-digit flightdeck aircraft for FLY! would be outstanding. I can't even phathom that amount of work it would take to create functioning realistic the panels (Flight Engineer, see shot below). I don't know about other people in this forum but I would easily without question purchase such a product for $75 or more. Assuming it is the quality that PMDG has produced in the past and the rescent past. Last year I went to Tiepi, Tiawan and Hong Kong. I flew from SFO to HongKong on a united 747-400 and was able to get into the cockpit. Increadible flight deck!!! The Captain even let me sit in his seat prior to engine start!!! Of course this was prior to September 11. I also was on a JAL 747-300 from Hong Kong to Teipei. Captain Yakashi was kind enough to let me take pictures, see below. Does anybody else in this forum have any interest in such an aircraft? Regarding pricing, I think most FLY! simmers expect the most realistic aircraft available. I think adding a few dollars ($20-40) to the price of the product to cover developmental costs is not much of an issue. What do the other captains in the forum think of this?Sincerly,David a.k.a. Captain Bob

[Guest]

I, for one, would certainly support the idea. Actually, back last summer when the 777 for Fly!II was still in development, I recall some serious discussions in this forum along those lines (both a 747-200 and 727). Eventually, the consensus called for a 747-400. I believe some of these were even announced on the website for a time as officially under development, but eventually disappeared. I would still love to see an older airliner recreated at PMDG's standard of fidelity, and like Captain Bob, I would be happy to pay a hihger price for the increased level of complexity. Andrew

[Guest]

Andrew,I'm not talking about level 4 simulator type software that is certified by the FAA to give out type ratings without ever having to fly the real plane. The fidelity of the flight models and systems of the 757 are excellent. The syststems could have some minor detailed additions, but on a scale of 0-10 I put it on a 9 to 9.5. My point being even if it costs $75 to $100 for a once maybe twice a year product that isn't really that much money. If you consider the way people waste money at bars, gambling, etc. To me in the lower middle class income braket that type of money is just loose change when considering the quality of the product. I will not ever again buy MS add-on software. I bought the base Airbus series buy PSS about $30 with one plane. I was highly disappointed! to say the least about the product quality, flight model and especially the systems. PSS wanted a large figure for the entire airbus series they are selling. I believe it was in the ball park of $200 or more. Complete fraud in my opinion. Anyway, I'm not talking about increasing realism or fidely to some new astronomical level. I simply suggesting pushing passed the 757 fidelity and systems SLIGHTLY and putting that quality of a product into a 747-300. Can you imagine what the main, overhead, and FE panels would look like in a 747-300 in PMDG quality!!! Yours Truly,CB

[Guest]

[mburkhard 23]

David,Have you every seen the screenshots of the DC-10 Matthew and others are building for Fly! II? It looks really great!! So I don't think it's necessary that PMDG produces another classic heavy airliner...Oh and just imagine, you'll have to do a job that normaly THREE people are doing :-)Markus

[Guest]

Where can these shots be seen? I'd still like to see one with PMDG's fidelity. I took the 747-300 out for a spin the other day. And there was mostly hawlker panels and systems were very incomplete. The aircraft visual model is VERY nice though, I also like the sounds ( I hope they aren't default halker..) heheCB

[Guest]

Well with a 120 views and 2 replies, I can only assume people are not interest AT ALL in my idea. I appologize for wasting your time and th bandwidth.CB

[mburkhard 23]

I just used the search function to look for the screenshots in the General Fly! forum , but since they were posted some months ago I assume that was in the old forum.You should go over to the Fly! forum and ask Matthew Horridge if he could repost them, it seems that the DC-10 will be a very complex aircraft and the cockpit so far looks great!!Markus

[Guest]

Assuming PMDG isn't going to scratch the 767 in favor of a new suggestion, I would like to point out we already have a great selection for all sorts of longer routes with the 757, 767, and 777. I'm not exactly all excited about firing up a 747 for a 9 hour trans-hemisphere flight. The 757 is on the upper end of my sim attention span. Howabout a shorter ranged bird?SP

[Guest]

SP,A 737-700 (With the head-up display) or and older model would be nice. Those long flights of a 747 can get rather boring to say the least..CB