I know a lot of people will hate me after this, but i don't want a 717 or another old plane from PMDG. 

 

My next wishlist is an update for the NGX with the new Winglets and maybe in near future the 737MAX. 

 

PMDG is a commercial organisation, so what they will develop is based on market research (and, I guess, on what they actually want to make).

If the majority of people want a remodel of the 747, and PMDG wants to make it, that's what they'll make, as they are doing now. If a small minority of their user base wants a 717, it doesn't really make sense to make one.

 

Why won't they make a new MD-11? Simple, the majority of the market isn't interested in it, as evidenced by v1. This means they won't be able to get a decent return on investment, so it's not worth making it for them.

In essence, planes like the DC-6 and the JS41 don't even really need to have a decent return on investment, since they're being created with downtime in the development team, time that would otherwise be wasted. That's why less popular planes make sense for the "light" products.

 

As for the MAX, it probably won't happen anytime soon. The design isn't even finalised, and it will still take quite some years before the first MAX flies. To make a good add-on, they need performance numbers, pilots with enough time on the plane, engineers,... So, not anytime soon.

Yes that's why i said "near future". 

 

But the new Winglet-version shouldn't be a "big deal". 

If you consider 2017-2018-2019 "near future", then yes, we may see it in the "near future". ;-)

I do have a feeling they will do the Split Scimitar Winglets, but I don't think they'll make it as just a visual extension, it might take some time for them to gather the needed performance data.

Yes 2017/18 is "near future" for me :). The time runs too fast...

 

Thats PMDG. Nothing only for visual, but that's why i like PMDG so much. Their love for every single detail is really stunning.

Pretty sure what's why Boeing killed it off after the MD buyout, too.

 

And many feel that Boeing's perception of the 717 as a threat to their existing line was a huge mistake.

 

To me, it seems that there is an assumed correlation between addon profitability and actual a/c market share. For a plane to be successful as an FSX addon, it must first be successful and present in today's real world operations. Makes total sense to me and based on my limited knowledge, I would assume this rule of thumb is fairly accurate.

 

But what makes this topic so interesting is the obvious but rarely stated fact that there are few models left to choose from - ones that are widespread across airfields today. This assumes, however, that PMDG does not want to venture down the Airbus route. I would imagine the development cycle for a 75/76 would be vastly shorter compared to that of the NGX/777, especially with the new platform PMDG created beginning with the NGX.

 

Personally, I would like to see a "meet me in the middle" plane. Something halfway between the DC6 and the 777. And as my icon picture suggests, I would love to see an L1011, DC10 (assuming that DCXX project is dead) 727, or dare I say, a 747-100/200/300. A full systems rendering of a plane that has analog gauges, fully accurate INS, a new approach to the flight engineer station, offers PMDG the option to include up to date EFIS modification suites etc. 

a 787 would be nice

Since TFDi are developing the 717, I suggest that we see what they can deliver before asking PMDG (or anyone else) to build one.

Since TFDi are developing the 717, I suggest that we see what they can deliver before asking PMDG (or anyone else) to build one.

 

I agree.  I do hope they make a very nice simulation, at least as good as the PMDG MD-11.

 

 

As for the MAX, it probably won't happen anytime soon. The design isn't even finalised, and it will still take quite some years before the first MAX flies. To make a good add-on, they need performance numbers, pilots with enough time on the plane, engineers,... So, not anytime soon.

 

I kinda think that after they're done with what they announced (777 SP1 + 300 version, 737 SP2, DC-6, 747v2 + 748) they'll probably tackle the 787. And after that's done maybe the MAX. By that time, the MAX will have been in service for enough time to gather data about it. Of course, we might see a surprise plane slip in there, like the DC-6 did.

 

On the other hand, FSX is nearing the end of its rope. It still has a few good years in it still, i think, but not much. So who knows what the next platform for PMDG will be? Maybe X-Plane will work better for them than P3D. Maybe the other way around. And who knows how the next platform they will choose will influence their choice of product development. We just have to wait and see. But PMDG will still be PMDG and deliver the quality we all love.

 

 

On the other hand, FSX is nearing the end of its rope. It still has a few good years in it still, i think, but not much. So who knows what the next platform for PMDG will be? Maybe X-Plane will work better for them than P3D. Maybe the other way around. And who knows how the next platform they will choose will influence their choice of product development. We just have to wait and see. But PMDG will still be PMDG and deliver the quality we all love.

 

FSX still has a couple years in it. In a way the cancellation of MSFS series helped it a lot - without worrying about a new platform, devs are able to make wonderful things with it. It does start showing its age in this, but it will take a while until it is surpassed. I do think it will make 10 years in full strength. Start a winddown at 12 maybe.

 

What will be next? Well, barring any surprise development (such as would be someone buying the actual FS entertainment license and merging codebase with Prepar3D minus the military pro+ stuff), I think we will see a shift to XPL 10. It is maturing well, still in development, it is getting solid addons in all areas... I think the tipping point could be the first mainstream PMDG mainstream addon to release both MSFS and XPL platforms in similar time - maybe 2017? 

 

 

 

I do have a feeling they will do the Split Scimitar Winglets, but I don't think they'll make it as just a visual extension, it might take some time for them to gather the needed performance data.

 

Considering how proud the team was of differences in winglet/non-winglet handling characteristics, I think they'd want to finetune it, not just visual. The difference between winglet and scimitar is subtle, but present.

 

 

 

Personally, I would like to see a "meet me in the middle" plane. Something halfway between the DC6 and the 777. And as my icon picture suggests, I would love to see an L1011, DC10 (assuming that DCXX project is dead) 727, or dare I say, a 747-100/200/300. A full systems rendering of a plane that has analog gauges, fully accurate INS, a new approach to the flight engineer station, offers PMDG the option to include up to date EFIS modification suites etc. 

 

I'd love me a proper Tristar, but I don't think it would be commercially viable for PMDG to make one..

 

 

I do think it will make 10 years in full strength. Start a winddown at 12 maybe.

 

I don't know what to think of this... I do want a new sim, but I've been playing FSX for so long, i got emotionally attached to it  :lol: While i hope you're right about FSX hanging around for so long (and it has every chance to do so), it would be a bit sad that after such a long time, no developer will have made anything better than a 10 year old sim.

 

 

I think the tipping point could be the first mainstream PMDG mainstream addon to release both MSFS and XPL platforms in similar time - maybe 2017? 

 

Really looking forward to this.

 

 

it would be a bit sad that after such a long time, no developer will have made anything better than a 10 year old sim.

 

Not common does not equal not better.

 

P3D is objectively better (same, but with better bits), however it is not available to general simmer (if nothing else, it is not marketed in usual places - Steam, game stores. Please lets not discuss EULA).

 

X-Plane is subjectively better, but people don't want to switch for reasons of "I am used to MSFS" and "no addons for XPL I like".

 "no addons for XPL I like".

 

Mostly this.

Orbx, FTX, OZx, NL2000,FlyTampa,FSDT,Majestic Q400,PMDG 737/777/MD11 ,ActiveSky Next & Vatsim are what I enjoy most.

 

FSX is just a platform to make the above things work.

 

And Windows 7 is just an Operating System to make them work too.

 

The fact that it cost over $900 (really don't know how much I have spent on FSX stuff so far, probably more than that). to put all the bits together (Orbx FTX, PMDG etc) is also a factor, because one suspects that all the bits would cost a similar amount if they were available in Xplane.

PMDG is a commercial organisation, so what they will develop is based on market research

 

When do they do their market research ? I have never seen them canvas the largest gathering of PMDG customers, which I guess is right here in their own forum.

How many were asking for a MD11, J41 or DC6 when they last did "market research"?

 

Glyn