Rob / ANY PMDG member, What's going on at PMDG? Please let us (your LOYAL and SUPPORTIVE CUSTOMER's) know PMDG's intention with regard to the unreleased Arrow, Tobago and Fly! series.If these products are completed or close to completion, in my opinion, they should be released (even if they don't meet your sales expectations). I would think any company would rather see low sales then NO sales($$) of a product. This stone walling of not releasing ANY information will eventually leave a bitter taste in the mouth of your current customer base and may even drive them away. My 2 cents and opinion from a loyal PMDG customer,Bob Lyddy

I agree Bob.There is has been a deafening silence around here of late, not a tradition of PMDG - and a little concerning to say the least.Just a honest answer about what the PMDG focus and future plans are for Fly!2, I would also like an answer from TRI about the future of the Fly! series.I find the lack of communication a little concerning.Andy

>There are two key problems with paying high prices for Fly!2 >add-ons. >>The first, as has been mentioned, is that Fly!2 is a >great, but still somewhat an unstable buggy program. >>As such (and this is my second point), add-ons, >including PMDG's fine aircraft, must be priced to take into >account the platform on which they run. >I would pay $100 for Fly!3 if I knew it was stable, ran smoothly on >reasonably up-to-date systems, etc. I would probably pay >another $50 for each add-on "big jet" in consideration of >the complexity. >>But I have to believe that the core community here would be >willing to shell out some more serious dough for a simulator >that closely resembles reality, was virtually bug-free, ran >smoothly, and gave them a simulator experience that was >exciting, engaging and offered a future. David,I like your thinking and I'm with you 100%. I would not hesitate to "invest" $100 in a stable FLY!3 platform upon which we could enjoy more or enhanced PMDG add-ons.This may be a stretch but why not ask: How realistic is such a proposition? Would 100 "investors" shelling out $100 each be "motivation" enough to get us a "next generation" Fly! platform?Lefteris - you started this? :-) Now we will turn it around. What would it take for a group of us to "invest" in the future of Fly!? Just thinking out loud ... ;-)-michael

Hi Lefteris,I agree with David points (please see my other comments in the

It is not the price, but the value. On their own, PMDG products are superlative, but given the great uncertainty of any future, substantial development of the FLY!II platform, what is the gain? As a die hard fan of PMDG and FLY!II, I grow increasingly discouraged by the stagnation of the foundational development of our sim, upon which all else depends for addon value. What is the future?; is there hope?; will there be a surprise soon of a long-awaited major upgrade, barring FLY!III itself? The progression is predictable, evidenced here by your question regarding how much we are willing to pay. Market research on the cheap? One does not need the ability to read tea leaves to discern that FLY!II's major developers' migration of productions to the MSFS2K market. However, the prospects of recovery are waning. Gee, I really despise saying that and desperately hope I am absolutely wrong!Beyond value for price, the next best thing is to keep your higher price slightly under your competitors - real tough if you don't have many. Tough place to be in PMDG, but I wish you all the best.Grant

Gents-I am not going to answer regarding our focus and future plans, until I've had a chance to sit down and really discuss things with Rob.As very few of you seem to know, (:-)), Rob is away on a much needed vacation. He will be back next week, and I am sure you will hear from all of us then. Don't forget- it's the summer, and some of us who have real jobs (like Rob) tend to get their vacation time then.One thing's for sure - we've started the production line on MSFS2k2.As for the aircraft still on development for Fly!2 (TB-9, SkyArrow), expect some news next week.How's that for a non-reply, Andy? :-lol

Hey Lefteris !, why the quick reply - now I don`t get the opportunity to have another moan :-lol .Thanks for the answers, I really appreciate it and hope the news on the TB-9 is good.Kind RegardsAndy

Very well said, thank you Grant!This is my thought too. I purchased the 777 and the 757 from PMDG(and the 767 for fly2k) not to fly them at all, I just prefere to fly the small aircraft, but to support TRI and PMDG! But I am not willing to spend another 100 bucks for a product where I can see no future.At least at the moment. We are still lucky to have people like ROTW and others who do fantastic things for free, and I really hope these people and Rich and the beta team will keep Fly alive.Rodger

Lefteris,Thanks for the response. I understand you and Rob have real jobs and need vacations, as do all of us. But the lack of info/participation from PMDG lately is a bit unusual based on your (PMDG's) past level of participation (even during the summer). Which explains our concerns.Looking forward to some good news on the Arrow/TB-9.Regards,Bob Lyddy

Thats just the reply I was waiting for :) I'm looking sooooo forward to the TB-9 and the arrow!!!!!Johnny"I'LL BE BACK"[div align=center]http://www.avsim.com/hangar/fly/josve/fly2/vas.gif][/div

LefterisQuality always costs, and I for one is always prepared to pay the price.(And if I could get my hands on an updated 777 (with the new FMC and a visible RAT) you would get your hands on one of my $100-bills :-) )Roy B. :-waveOslo, Norway

Just me thinking out loud

To be honest, I have completely given up on the Fly!/II line, hence you don't see me around here much anymore.While PMDG produces a great product, and have gone through their own personal hell to produce staggering workarounds for the complex set of unresolved issues within Fly II, the end result is a great plane in a simulator that is not stable enough to fly it in.It is a really sad state, as PMDG has proven their abilities to make a fantastic product. But no matter how good your work is, it is marred by Fly II's unfinished status.With the talent of PMDG's crew, either a shift into fixing MS's heavies (competing against PIC, where there may not be a real market) or moving into the world of PS (a dedicated heavy simulator).You guys have amassed too much talent to not produce professional level products, and yet you seem trapped in a market that is too small to support your talents.I would think you would be better off producing a series of real heavy simulators for $300-400 similar in nature to PS (which looks to have a future release somewhere in 2005+)While the market may exist within MSFS 2002 for some $50 range planes, again, saturation levels already may exist which will force your price point down to Fly levels.Ray

>While the market may exist within MSFS 2002 for some $50 >range planes, again, saturation levels already may exist >which will force your price point down to Fly levels. >Ray,PMDG will be working on the Jetstream 41 for FS2002. There are very few products in FS2002 that could compare with complexity of 767PIC. If PMDG can deliver an equally 'well rounded' turboprop - that will certainly be the first of this kind in FS2002. I certainly don't see the saturation you are talking about. Michael J.

To add to it ... at the moment PSS is working on the Dash-8 and Eurowings is finishing ATR-42/72 - both for FS. They most likely will do decent jobs but Eurowings already admitted they are 'loose' with ATR's systems and PSS is known for their peculiar "jump-seat" view of the cockpit that is a big turn-off for some though the rest is pretty good. These are the ONLY turboprops with MGW above 5,000 lbs and from commercial developers that will soon be available for FS. Definitely not very many.Michael J.