Hi, I have been following the PMDG forum for a couple of years now and this is my first post. I bought the 777 for FSX and loved it. I am planning to buy one for P3D in the near future. I have a few questions regarding the upcoming B747-8 v2. 

 

1. While looking through some pictures of the B747-8 flight deck, I noticed that they have electronic flight bags. Will these be modeled (if only for the PMDG setup menus if not for the charts)?

 

2. I saw several liveries for the B747-8 on the PMDG website. Will these be included as well.

 

Sorry if this has already been discussed.

 

Thanks

 

Michael Crichlow

Hi Michael,

 

I can't answer #1, but I want to assure you that PMDG are pretty good at giving a wide selection of liveries. I am sure that every operator of the 748 will be available on release like the others (remember there isn't many 747-8 operators anyway )

PMDG have previously stated that they will not be modeling the EFB.  They generally will only model a particular system if it is practical to model it fully and realistically; without access to  charts and proprietary Boeing docs, there is really just not much point in an EFB.    Moreover, even if it was possible, in a desktop flightsim it is far more practical to just use a tablet or smart phone to view charts, than to have to zoom in via the VC, or bring up a pop-up window.  Even the CDU is more usable if you use a 3rd party mobile app like VAInterface to control it on the device of your choice. 

 

Andrew Jones

Capt Sim 777 has a great on board in vc EFB for charts and other visuals. I think PMDG should have them and I don't really understand why they say they are super realistic without that feature.

 

Instead they put an unusable camera system in that cuts your fps in half. Put the EFB in the new plane at least.

 

As for I pads and tablets not everyone has or can afford setting up a wireless system and buying an I pad to use as an EFB.

*Sigh* One of the things people always attack PMDG for are features Captain Sim have. For example, weather radar. At that time people said that PMDG should put the weather radar feature in, because Captain Sim aircraft have it. However, that Weather Radar is and was NOT FULLY FUNCTIONAL! Same with the EFB, their EFB is nothing like the real thing! Its just like place to drop PDFs!

 

 

Kashif Eizdi

I wasn't really attacking but rather making comparisons. I understand that PMDG put in what they think is important and when they do it always is the best and always works per real.

 

I just like gadgets but your correct, better to have a working gadget than one that just looks pretty.

Instead of an EFB, couldn't they just throw in some sort of document viewer that lets us put in our own plates in jpeg form or something? It's not a *true* EFB but it's more immersive than having to open up a new chart viewing window on my desktop mid-flight.

Many airlines do not have an EFB

 

 

Kashif Eizdi

To have a fully functional EFB is not viable at this time due to the cost factor.   See Robert & Co's posts on the subject,   We waited long for wx radar but when I finally arrived it was worth the wait.   If we see an EFB in future, it will be along the same vein.

 

Regards

 

Werner

Instead of an EFB, couldn't they just throw in some sort of document viewer that lets us put in our own plates in jpeg form or something? It's not a *true* EFB but it's more immersive than having to open up a new chart viewing window on my desktop mid-flight.

That would work for me,,just show some charts or such.

I tried the chart viewer (cannot be called an EFB) in the Captain Sim before I gave up trying to fly that aircraft at all...

I found it was perfectly unusable in VC cockpit when flying. The display is too small to be convenient in sim even with the track iR and Ezdok.

 

I prefer using a second monitor to display the charts in full size.

 

And personally, I'm more interested in a real EFB with the takeoff and landing calculations features than a chart viewer.

If PMDG were to add a fake EFB with only chart viewing feature (which I hardly think they would) then I don't see any issue in that but I wouldn't be using it anyway.

I agree and I am getting more interested in a wireless EFB for an I pad or other pad device.

I decided to give the Navigraph charts subscription a go (technically, I bought the dual pack with the FMS data as well) and I've been using it on a spare iPad I have with the iPad app, or occasionally a Chromebook with the cloud service.  Aside from the LIDO charts being a little weird, it's actually quite nice!  During my planning phase, I preload the starting airport chart, SID, STAR, approach, and destination airport chart as well as any notes/written procedures where applicable, and shift through them as my flight progresses.  I'm very happy with it, and it's a lot easier to use than Aivlasoft ENB was without using it on another PC, which I don't have a second windows computer anymore.

 

Failing that, create a folder for your flight on a secondary device and grab PDFs from Airnav or wherever and load them up as applicable.

 

That's what I'd recommend over a semi-functional (or non-existent) VC EFB.  If you can get used to the LIDO charts, I'd say the cost is worth it.

 

-stefan strandberg

instead of leaving the EFB place vacant in the 747-8, they can at least use the EFB as a load manager and fuel manager with diagrams that show seating chart, fuel load distribution etc.. i'm just comparing with what i've seen in X-plane aircrafts.. 

 

also, in X-plane's SSG 747-8, when you zoom in all the way on the ND, you can see the airport layout.. will this feature be available in PMDG 747-8 v2?

 

Vinod Kumar.