I know it's a bit early to ask questions about the upcoming release, but I hope to "some" answers. Firstly, I've been looking at the RFP 747 and it looks a little overwelming, like I need to have a 747 pilot licens or something. How precise/hard are you planning on making the 747, hopefully us without a pilot licens can still play? :)I now you don't want to say anything about a release date and I can see why, but is it within a year or half a year...I've been looking at the RFP, as mentioned, but I don't want to buy them both as I prefer your product.ThanksMikkel

Mikkel,I don't think anything close to an estimated time-frame has been set out. I imagine that if you can fly the NG, you can fly the 744. The reason the RFP is so hard is that the RFP team modeled a plane meant to be flown by 3 people, and in your sim cockpit there is only 1. So you are doing the job of 3, and that means more work for you ;)

RFP 747-200 is not that difficult, depends on how immersive you want your experience to be. You can take off, circle, land- just like in the default cessna. But that's precisely what most simmers want-best of both worlds .PMDG 737-700 is the best aircraft available for FS2004- if you likeglass cockpitsRFP 747-200 is great if you like analogue.I must admit I am looking forward to PMDG'S rendition of the 744 .PSS have greatly disappointed me recently.

Thanks Fred...Yea it's really a fine art of how to *not* to make it too difficult. Like you said it's just one person doing the job of three...it can really kill the whole experience for me if I'm busy doing all sorts of jobs and not enjoying the flight. Don't get me wrong, I like it when it's as real as it get's, but it can get too real imo. Otherwise I'll have to start recruiting people to help me flying this bird. ;)Mikkel

Interesting. As you know I don't have the RFP so I have no idea of what to expect. It looked like I had to spend atleast 30 min. before I could even call for clearance...and sadly I don't always have that much time.Do you have the RFP...perhaps you could tell me little about your experience with it. I read the review here at avsim and it's very good, but they make it seem really hard.Mikkel

Mikkel,I agree. I purchased RFP a while back, but I never really got into it. Maybe I am too much a glass cockpit kind of guy. ;)

RFP is a different type (as most know) of 747. The PMDG will be a 400 varient. It is a long way off, we will see the 737 series wraped up long before the 744 will be ready. It will be as complex as the 737 NG and PS1 users should be pleased even with the known limitations of FS ;)[h4]Best Wishes,Randy J. Smithhttp://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/betaimg.jpg

>Do you have the RFP...perhaps you could tell me little about>your experience with it. I read the review here at avsim and>it's very good, but they make it seem really hard.Mikkel,It isn't hard, if you spend the time to read the manuals, and understand them. Grab a good tutorial and go with it; you'll get it in time. However, it won't be EASY, and you can forget about using your previous Boeing knowledge on this plane, because it won't apply. Your doing everything by hand that the AFS/FMC does automatically in the NG. A rush, to be sure, but if your like me you can't do it all of the time. There is no way for me to be able to sit down in front of the computer, for 5 or 6 hours, to do a short 742 flight. And with RFP, you NEED to be in front of the computer the whole time. The nice thing about these newer style aircraft, like the NG, is that I can get a flight going, and (the purists amoungst us will boo at me ;)) go do something else. Check about in every once in a while.

Sure, time is the key,RFP allows you to use the fs2004 gps to complete a flight,therefore allowing you to bypass the INS (pretty straightforward). I re-iterate it's up to you whether or not to make your experience immersive or not. I have a 'time' problem too, sometimes I just want to get into the air as quick as possible and I skip the nitty gritty .Sometimes I go through all the procedures, it's your choice.That's the beauty of Flight sim.(Those 300 virtual passengers will never know the difference)

Thanks Randy...I guess I'll wait then. Maybe I'll go for the 800 series since I don't really have the time or patience really for a long haul flight, especially if I have to be around it all the time. The thing is though...if the weather radar and TCAS only comes with the 747 I don't want the 800...oh well.Ain't it great when you go shopping for a new plane...I love it...hehe. ;)Mikkel

The 800-900 will have TCAS and should have the weather radar. The question about the weather radar is only because I know Leteris wants to be able to do it right or do not do it at all ;). With the upcoming release of the SDKs he will be able to better look into this. [h4]Best Wishes,Randy J. Smithhttp://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/betaimg.jpg

Well I guess it's almost settled then...the 800/900 it is. :)What kind of panels will you be using...are you going to reuse the panels from the 600/700 or make them more photo real?I would love to fly the 747, but I think I will just end up hitting the acc. time button. :)Mikkel

Well the panels will be the same except the night lighting should be updated to allow a more varied lighting scheme than at present. The EFIS displays (Side by Side style is current display type) like used on SWA will also be a new option on the 800-900, so the users will be able to select which type he wishes to use.[h4]Best Wishes,Randy J. Smithhttp://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/betaimg.jpg

>Mikkel,>>I don't think anything close to an estimated time-frame has>been set out. Actually, the PM web site says "scheduled for completion in the spring of 2004." If that is the case that is only 3 to 6 months from now! Almost a blink of the eye in software development time ;)

Wow...I never noticed that, thanks.Merry Christmas allMikkel