Hi fellow Captains.I know by writting this post that I will get a fair amount of criticism,but I hope a few people will see my point.I am a big fan of PMDG and think there products are fantastic,but I feel the time that has been taken to develop and release the MD-11 has been a wasted oppurtunity.I am sure the MD-11 will be brilliant and give many hours of flying to us captains,but the MD-11 is a plane now rarely seen or used by the worlds airlines and probably not given much thought by many people.Much of the joy for me flying PMDG products is that they are true to life simulation and relevent to the aircraft found today in world airlines fleets.With the amount of time taken to develop and release the MD-11,I would have loved to have seen a more modern aircraft being developed,or vastly improving on aircraft already done.By this I mean the most up to date B777 ever found on flight sim.With the time put into the MD-11 It would be great to see that time used to develop such things as Electronic Checklists,EFB (Boeings electronic Flight Bag),weather Radar, maybe even a take off performance calculator for all the worlds major airports.I think there is a strong case for aircraft from the Embraer family,especially the 190.I hope I didn't come across that I was moaning too much,but was just voicing out loud the kinds of things I would have prefered to the MD-11.Tony Simpson

Tony,We certainly wish development had gone faster on this as Robert said in the announcement thread. It's not the fact that it's an MD-11 that's caused the delay, it's the nearly two year long confusion over switching between sim platforms and now realizing that most people are sticking with FS9. That said, we do think this is going to be an important product for a couple of reasons:1. It's different. The airplane's systems methodology is very much unlike the standard Boeing or Airbus panels we're all used to. It's going to give simmers something genuinely new to learn and we think that's going to be appreciated.2. No one's done it. (to this level of realism at least) We'd much rather do something new than repeat what others have done. I think it's pretty safe to say that no one else was going to do an MD-11 study sim.The MD-11 is in fact still in use by quite a few passenger airlines (just not in the USA) and is a mainstay of many cargo fleets. I see several FedEx ones come overhead landing at KPHX every day personally.We're well aware that people want to see a 777 or smaller stuff like the EMB-170/190 and we'll take that into future consideration after our current plate is empty.

Tony,You should take a good look at the cargo airline world. It's a big one, and an interesting one too. Every MD-11 at the end of it's PAX transportation career gets converted to a freighter immediately. For cargo the MD-11 is an airplane without any competition at this time, thus the best thing for many airlines. 191 MD-11s are still flying and not leaving the air anytime soon...Now if you want to simulate real MD-11 routes you'll have plenty of cargo routes and airlines to choose from. Be aware that a cargo round trip could easily be much more interesting and challenging to fly than those usual hub to hub PAX services. With cargo you get to fly into deepest middle of Africa, doing NDB approaches at the weather minimum, going to airports that high your final approach speed will be 170kts, lot's of 45 meter runways, round the world trips, and much more.So if you look into the air cargo world you'll find that the MD-11 is a big star there and used all around the world. I promise you, once you fly your first NDB approach at the minima in an MD-11 onto a sparely lit 45 meter runway you will love it! And it will be as real and as current as it could be, nowhere near history but daily business with the world's leading cargo airlines.Regards,Markus

Flying the Cargo routes is one of the main reasons i am looking forward to this aircraft. I fly for Cargolux virtual and i found cargo companies offer routes that are so much more varied for sim and real pilots compared to the standard pax routes most airlines offer.Rob

I think I'm in the minority, but I'd much rather have an MD-11 over a 777. I have no interest in the 777 at all. Would I buy it if they released one? Yes, probably, but it wouldn't be on release day like I plan with the MD-11.To me, even with all the electronics and extra stuff on a 777, it'd still be a Boeing and wouldn't be quite as exciting for me as something new would be.As for your comment on the MD-11 being rarely seen or used, just head up to Anchorage. A quick check with FlightAware shows 10 or so MD-11 arrivals in the next 40 or so scheduled flights.Just a cent or two from me. :)

horraythe first real indication that eventually there will most likley be a long awaited 777 from PMDG. I have absolutely no doubt that this would be the most popular choice by a long shot from the majority of us. It will sell like hotcakes despite the fact that other developers have had a go because no one has yet done it justice.There is nothing like the 777Kav

Since there is this discussion ongoing i rather drop my impressions.Why do so many people desire a 777?Airbus took the "optimization" excuse and developed an omni-comprehensive system deployable (and deployed) on many different airplanes: from the a318 to the a340 you have the same thing.Except that in the a340 the pedestal sports four levers instead of two.Now Boeing didn't explicitly do the same, but it would have been out of the world to adopt different philosphies for different airplanes of the same manufacturer, wouldn't it?747 and 777 all build on the same technology and concepts, and also on the experience gathered on the 737.So now what's all this excitement about a possibile 777?Isn't it just a 2 engine version of the 747?And all the more isn't it just a kind of "2nd edition" of the 737ng systems?I know i am simplifing things quite a lot, but in the end it just gets down to flying the plane, and since this is done in the same way with the very same instruments (meaning that PFD, ND, FMC are really the same, providing the necessary differences between types)...I just don't get all these people wanting to look at the video for 8hrs doing nothing...Or do you plan to do NYC - WDC with your sporty 777?It's been years since the first "pmdg please make us a 777" pledge appeared on this forum, and we are still at it.At least, as they (pmdg) said, the MD11 is something new.My 2 cents

>Why do so many people desire a 777?I've always wondered the same.

Well for me its a number of factors that i like about the 777firstly visually i think boeing have got it right from the structure to the colour of the panels. Compared to boeing airbus flightdecks are gloomy and not as appealing with the dull blue, ive spoken to a number of pilots who agree with this.i love the appearance of the 747 its shape externally and internally but also the 777 particulally the night lighting just well designed soothing on the eye and designed for pilots by pilots . I believe Boeing consulted real pilots about the design and weather they prefered side sticks or yokes hence the yoke.seccondlly there is the cutting edge technology of the 777 which i know would be imbraced by pmdg in such a comprehensive way that it would be seccond to none creating i seriously submersive experience for simmers! and there is way more complexity on the 777 than the 747-400.Kav

>Why do so many people desire a 777?Because it's just a beautiful aircraft. Modern technology, modern looks, and of course... it's big :D Something else then just that 747 for the long haulers. Besides that all, there hasn't been a good one (with good i mean pmdg quality) made yet. If they would concider to make it, i would definately buy it :)Regards,Raymond

>Hi fellow Captains.>>I know by writting this post that I will get a fair amount of>criticism,but I hope a few people will see my point.>>I am a big fan of PMDG and think there products are>fantastic,but I feel the time that has been taken to develop>and release the MD-11 has been a wasted oppurtunity.I am sure>the MD-11 will be brilliant and give many hours of flying to>us captains,but the MD-11 is a plane now rarely seen or used>by the worlds airlines and probably not given much thought by>many people.Much of the joy for me flying PMDG products is>that they are true to life simulation and relevent to the>aircraft found today in world airlines fleets.>>With the amount of time taken to develop and release the>MD-11,I would have loved to have seen a more modern aircraft>being developed,or vastly improving on aircraft already>done.By this I mean the most up to date B777 ever found on>flight sim.With the time put into the MD-11 It would be great>to see that time used to develop such things as Electronic>Checklists,EFB (Boeings electronic Flight Bag),weather Radar,>maybe even a take off performance calculator for all the>worlds major airports.I think there is a strong case for>aircraft from the Embraer family,especially the 190.>>I hope I didn't come across that I was moaning too much,but>was just voicing out loud the kinds of things I would have>prefered to the MD-11.>>Tony Simpson>>Sorry Tony I strongly disagree. I think PMDG is hitting a nail on the head by releasing an MD11

"If they would concider to make it, i would definately buy it :)"Not before me U wont.....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!777!@!!Gideon :-bang :-bang

Tony,Your points are well taken insofar as a plane now rarely seen or used by the worlds airlines. I also agree with you that there are other more relevant aircraft like the "NGX" series that should have been a priority above the MD-11. The sky's are literally filled with them and I personally would have loved to see this craft even before the almost outdated 747. The "NGX" will be with the airlines for some time to come. Keep in mind gentlemen that this is my opinion only and is not meant to agitate or condemn. I look forward to the MD-11 and will purchase it but also very patiently await the NGX. jack

I totally agree that PMDG is doing a great thing by releasing this very interesting aircraft. I fly the 767 and 737. The systems are very similar. It will be great to have something new to learn.Plus she really is a pretty aircraft.Ben

Well, I agree with you that I am not really excited about the MD-11 and personally would have rather seen the time devoted to 737NGX... but this is just my personal opinion and I don't think PMDG would have gone down the MD11 road if they didn't think enough people disagreed with us.My biggest problem with MD11 is simply timing... PMDG has been off in Heavy-land for quite a while-- I prefer mid-size planes like the 737. I would have prefered the NGX launch to be sandwiched inbetween the FSX747 and MD11 or something.