Boeing 787

Airbus A350

 

yes, that's right. 350.

It depends why the A380 is ruled out for though. A350 looks real nice, but it's cockpit is much the same as the A380 (in the same way that the A340 cockpit is much the same as the A330/320). If the A380 is ruled out because of issues with the cockpit technology, then the A350 would suffer the same issues. However maybe they just ruled it out because "*ugly whale".

 

http://www.a350xwb.com/advanced/systems/

 

The A380 is definitely ugly.  If PMDG were to make any Airbus, I'd like it to be the A340, the best looking of any Airbus IMHO.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It isn't a matter of fact. From the point of view of its flightdeck and systems the A380 is a work of art. And that's the part we, as PMDG pilots, see most and enjoy most. I don't really care what the external 3D looks like in a study sim. If I want an addon merely for external beauty there are plenty of excellent freeware products available.

Do you see an updated amendment to their position? No.

They don't need to reaffirm what they will/won't develop every single year.

Did I say they needed to do that? My point was that a two year old post in the middle of a thread is hardly definitive information of their current view of potential future products. At various times in numerous request threads certain aircraft types may have been ruled out, but that doesn't mean those decisions will never be changed. Especially if the demand for a given type is clearly high.

757 with a cargo variant... and yes I know all about the LVLD version.

I'm as big a fan-boy of PMDG as any of us, but it pains me that a different line of aircraft have not been mentioned here.  Seriously, who wouldn't drool over a PMDG-quality bizjet of some kind?  Citation 750, Gulfstream V, Global Express, Falcon 7X ... I have loved really learning how the airliners operate through PMDG's level of detail and would love the opportunity with a bizjet as well!

 

My two cents, although I'd be in favor of a 787 preceding a bizjet!

If PMDG did the 787 I would be soooo happy.

 

I also agree that the A340 is dead (as with the 747) judging by carriers switching to 2-engined, more fuel-efficient models.

how do you figure the 747 is dead?  

While the base design is fifty years old, Boeing a bit over 2 years ago delivered the 748,

a massively different 747, totally new wing, new engines.. the wing alone makes the 747 a new design..  

 

I am sure that if Boeing had the business it could relatively easy modify the 747 further,

my poor math figures that using 2 of the 777's engines, the 747 could easily become a twin!

the 777 engines produce nearly 100,000 lbs of thrust each, the 747's uses four engines for almost 200,000 lbs of total thrust..  

making the 747 into a twin alone would reduce the drag from elimination of the two engines making the aircraft significantly more economical.. seat miles or ton miles per lb of fuel

I cant wait to see what the engine manufacturers will come up with for 777X !!!

Imagine what the 747 could look like with the upper deck extended about 60 - 70% of the lower cabin length, using four 777 engines (current thrust rating) or two of GE90, Trent 800, or PW4000 with increased thrust.. 

how do you figure the 747 is dead?  

While the base design is fifty years old, Boeing a bit over 2 years ago delivered the 748,

a massively different 747, totally new wing, new engines.. the wing alone makes the 747 a new design..  

 

I am sure that if Boeing had the business it could relatively easy modify the 747 further,

my poor math figures that using 2 of the 777's engines, the 747 could easily become a twin!

the 777 engines produce nearly 100,000 lbs of thrust each, the 747's uses four engines for almost 200,000 lbs of total thrust..  

making the 747 into a twin alone would reduce the drag from elimination of the two engines making the aircraft significantly more economical.. seat miles or ton miles per lb of fuel

I cant wait to see what the engine manufacturers will come up with for 777X !!!

Imagine what the 747 could look like with the upper deck extended about 60 - 70% of the lower cabin length, using four 777 engines (current thrust rating) or two of GE90, Trent 800, or PW4000 with increased thrust.. 

 

Delta's CEO Richard Anderson called the Airbus A380 an uneconomical plane, something only state-run and funded airlines can afford to utilize.  The customers of the A380 are, for the most part, such airlines who buy the plane to make less runs, or for the prestige thing.  No airline (realistically) would buy a fleet of 120 Airbus A380s like Emirates if they weren't state-run and funded.  The Airbus A380 would not have been built if it had not been for both government subsidies for Airbus, and these deep-pocket oil-rich companies like Emirates.  The biggest airlines in the world, United, American, Delta, they don't buy the thing because they worry about the economics of operations (so too do ANA and most operators).  As such, the Boeing 747-8, although technologically advanced and really cool, has no place with many airlines. It was built in part due to cargo demand, some passenger demand, but most of all because Boeing has the cash to do it from the 777's success. The advantage of two engines versus four is huge, and the 777X meets the requirements of such high capacities (the 777-9X approaching 747-400 capacity).  With the simplicity, fleet integration, new ETOPS standards, and efficiency of such a design, the 777X and A350 too are the future. Those airlines searching for the big prestige plane buy the A380 because their governments subsidize it (as do governments to Airbus).  The cold, hard fact is that these massive, double-deck airliners are 95% a thing of the past.  The mainline operators could use the 747-400 for a lot longer (NW/DL's DC-9-50 last 30-40+ years!), but the cost of the 'D' inspections means once they reach that, they will be retired to either freight service, special ops, museum, or scrap.  The A380 will remain for a few decades (albeit a likely unprofitable venture), but the days of the double-decker are few.  I'm not happy with this, but its the reality.  

 

One more thing, I think another reason Boeing did the 747-8I is for the Air Force One contract.  When the VC-25's are retired, I think the last two 747s ever built may very well likely be those of the President of the United States.

 

 

a two year old post in the middle of a thread is hardly definitive information of their current view of potential future products

 

Why not?

It looked pretty definitive to me when I read it.

Nothing has been said since then, so it's still relevant.

 

Maybe they did change their viewpoint, maybe not. All we know is what we read, and that's the last thing said on the A380.

I also don't see an overwhelming demand for the A380 in the forums.

Locked at OP's request.