I have only posted once before, but I use the forums on a daily basis. Before I bought the 737 it wasn't my favourite plane. After purchasing and flying it the quality was so good I got spoiled and hardly flew anything else. Now the 747, and I must say this is by far the most AMAZING aircraft ever. Now guess what aircraft I always fly. I lost sleep on its intial release and I am getting very excited about the upcoming B744F.I have a question if you are able to release this kind of info. How will the pallet loader & rear-fuselage load support work? Will it be similar to the doors on the 744 where you have to asign a key to it, Just curious. Thanks PMDG team you are the BEST. Count on me as commited customer!Mike Keigley

Hi Mike,Yes, each external vehicle/equipment will be assigned a keystroke for easy access. Glad you are looking forward to it!Best,Vin ScimonePMDGwww.precisionmanuals.comhttp://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/forum/devteam.jpg

>Glad you are looking forward to it!And he is not the only one. ;)

Exterior support vehicles make the experience at the gate more immersive in my opinion. I was hoping for a tug and other support vehicles for the passenger version... but hey - since the 744F will have these it may become my fav version...

With a Master and a 20 Foot Pallet loading control panel for back door loading ops (I guess we'll need one for the 'front door' too)? How about being able to watch those back door threshold loading wheels bobbing up and down as they rotate from longitudinal to lateral to pick up the next can, then go into that 45 degree formation to try to walk a 20 foot pallet around the corner. Hey, loadmaster's have a real skill too. . . especially when a couple of those wheels don't work. How about interior views with the "local" loading panels along the side walls so the loaders can scoot the pallet/cans along . . just like IRL? (And make sure they break alot too, just for an added touch of realism.) There's a set of hooks in the ceiling just aft of the upperdeck structure (on the -1/200s) that will catch a can/pallet that is too tall before it smashes into the upperdeck structure. Oh, and don't forget the smashable "Max profile" bars in the ceiling just forward of the back door. Let them get crumpled up if a pallet is too high. (Or heck, just model 'em mashed. They are always like that anyway.) You got the tail stand covered, right? And of course the loading system does not work unless the #2 external power source is available, but NOT selected on line. Same setup for the APU. Normal ops on the -1/200s is that if both #1 and #2 external sources are plugged in and powered, the #1 source powers the whole airplane via the SSB(I see the -400 has an automated Split System Breaker). However, if you select both power sources online, the loading systems will not be powered. The loading system needs exclusive access to the #2 external power (or APU) source. Actually this arrangement is to protect the airplane. The loading system is a big load and creates lots of transients. This could really cause problems for the airplane's more delicate electrical systems. FMC's hate brown-outs.Don't forget the little surprise that if I remove the hatch on the cargo floor (just across from door 1L) to get into the E&E compartment, the whole loading systems shuts down. Customer option, you say? True story, but this potentially headless R&E says, "But please, sir." (Plus, it's great fun to mess with the load-boys . . . and girls!)

Gee SamI read this with a smile!Showing off huh? ;-)Okay okay you know a lot... but I think the 744F will never be complete enough I am afraid! kind regardsTeeloo

Yep . . . . The bigger the boys, the fancier their toys! The thing that I am reminded of is that the 747 is 35 years old and the basic systems have remained about the same. But even after decades, I still look at this machine think,

let me guess, you work for UPS :)Great info, I too am looking forward to flying the freighter.