hehe, in the last few years, all the features I have been asking for and craving have come true::

1.WX radar

 

2."Mood lighting" (during the 777 dev cycle I asked if we would be able to control the cabin lighting colours and BOOM, we got it. Go ahead and check, its me)

 

3. Windmilling: I asked if this would be in the 777 but at the time you said no. Now that you made it on the 747 I hope it gets retrofitted to the 777

 

Feel like I should start asking about CPDLC or an EFB. May end up coming true

PMDG weren't the first to do the wx in the 737.

 

Hopefully all those VA's that took the 747 out of their schedules will now put them back in so we can actually use it.

 

 

Feel like I should start asking about CPDLC or an EFB. May end up coming true

These two features are a little different though than WX radar etc. CPDLC needs to comunnicate with something, presumably a VATSIM or IVAO client software. This would require those parties to make available a SDK or work with PMDG to make this work.

 

The EFB would require licensing real world data which is currently cost prohibitive (unless you want to pay $2000 per copy for your 747)

 

It would be possible to use the AFCAD data like Aivlasoft EFB does, but as this is somewhat inaccurate in some cases, I don't see PMDG doing it. (Either they do it correctly or not at all).

 

Perhaps in future if the licensing question can be solved or provided via Navigraph this situation may change

A few comments in response to some of the questions over the last few pages:

[*]Ground contact model: The ground contact model essentially side-steps the FSX/P3D "the ground is covered in peanut butter" view of the world. Idle thrust taxi is possible (and its effectiveness will depend on your weight), you can also carry your speed through turns a lot more realistically, and the decel on landing (and associated energy absorption by the brakes) is more to spec. The feel of the plane on the ground is so much better. I'll end it here though - you have to experience it to fully understand it.

I really hope yall can roll this back into the 777! This feature would take that plane from a 97% satisfying flying experience to 100% in my personal opinion.

PMDG weren't the first to do the wx in the 737.

 

Hopefully all those VA's that took the 747 out of their schedules will now put them back in so we can actually use it.

Yes but they were the first do do it accurately via Active Sky, so not just a 'cloud finder'.

Yes but they were the first do do it accurately via Active Sky, so not just a 'cloud finder'.

I don't have the other but I have heard it's not a 'cloud finder' either. Give credit where credit is due.

Either that or active sky mislead many people.

I don't have the other but I have heard it's not a 'cloud finder' either. Give credit where credit is due.

Either that or active sky mislead many people.

I will admit that I have never used the other product, so I won't judge, I was just always under the impression PMDG / Active Sky were the first to do it. If not, my apologies.

I will admit that I have never used the other product, so I won't judge, I was just always under the impression PMDG / Active Sky were the first to do it. If not, my apologies.

No problem.

 

Shame the real world wasn't as exicited by 747-400 hype as we are. Bring it back in service I say.

Slightly off topic. As I would also like to start my Queen type rating with some touch and goes, I am wondering, how do you guys normally program a "circuit" route in the FMC so that it displays a proper "traffic pattern? I mean, I guess the FROM and TO fields are to be populated with the same airport but how do you achieve all the upwind/crosswind/downwind/base/final legs to be displayed? Is there a way to do this? How is it done?

No problem.

 

Shame the real world wasn't as exicited by 747-400 hype as we are. Bring it back in service I say.

It would indeed be a coup if PMDG managed to generate so much interest in the 747 that airlines began placing more orders for the -8.  Not realistic, but a fun thought nonetheless :-)  I am tired of seeing the media give it such a beating in recent months.  As of late, there have been so many premature reports of the Queen's death that one would think it were about to disappear altogether, when in reality it will still be around for decades, even if in smaller numbers.

 

 

Shame the real world wasn't as exicited by 747-400 hype as we are. Bring it back in service I say.

I know right... lots of memories as a kid watching the 747s come in to Cape Town International. I remember during a visit to the tower, a LH 747 landing on 19, then taxiing right past us. Or the rows of 747s lined up majestically at the gate.

Slightly off topic. As I would also like to start my Queen type rating with some touch and goes, I am wondering, how do you guys normally program a "circuit" route in the FMC so that it displays a proper "traffic pattern? I mean, I guess the FROM and TO fields are to be populated with the same airport but how do you achieve all the upwind/crosswind/downwind/base/final legs to be displayed? Is there a way to do this? How is it done?

 

You could use custom waypoints... but why not do it visually? Thats what a circuit is all about!

Lots of interest in the toilet and whether or not it flushes.....the real question is- will the water swirl backwards when in the lower hemisphere?

 

Mark Trainer

Catering, fueling, ground handling, lavatory services, maintenance, cabin service and cargo loaders all respond in sync with Ground Operations for realistic traffic and servicing around the airplane during ground turns.

 

This almost sounds like a GSX type of addon included in the aircraft.  Would love to know exactly what this means.

 

Most likely you will not need GSX for V3.

 

 

Most likely you will not need GSX for V3.

IF it manages push-backs. I usually only use GSX for this part as it does a better job than the built in pushback, and I can focus on engine start etc.

 

If PMDG can do it, I can remove GSX and free up the VAS.

 

 

but why not do it visually? Thats what a circuit is all about!

Fair enough - but won't I get loads of warnings if the FMC is not fully programmed? 

Fair enough - but won't I get loads of warnings if the FMC is not fully programmed? 

 

No, as long as you make sure there are no EICAS warnings (apart from maybe LANDING ALT, it does not know what airport/elevation you plan to land at) you should be able to complete a circuit without fully programming the FMC. You wont have v-speeds and such, but if you just want to see how it flies, it will work. IF you want to fully plan out your circuits and v-speeds and such, then yes, you would need to program the FMC. I do this basic circuit with no FMC setup in the 777 often when I want to just quickly test something like a new P3D update or graphics setting change etc.