[27JAN18] First Preview of the PMDG 747-8. Exciting Times Ahead!

[captainsazzman 83]

19 minutes ago, Chuck_Owl said:

So... does this mean that the 747-8i will require a mandatory Navigraph subscription on top of the price of the module itself?

only if you want to use the EFB chart system. You can google free charts if you need em, I got aivlasoft anyway

[Nighthwk 566]

1 hour ago, Chuck_Owl said:

So... does this mean that the 747-8i will require a mandatory Navigraph subscription on top of the price of the module itself?

To use the EFB, yes. It's really not that much for a subscription if you think about it. You get charts and data for not even a tener a month. Not to mention use of the EFB.

[Chuck_Owl 55]

Still, I want to know if there will be an option to buy the 747-8i without having to buy into the subscription service (meaning that presumably the EFB will not work with that option). 

I am interested in a simulation with fixed costs. I have no interest in buying into a monthly "pay-to-fly" subscription fee on top of that fixed cost.

I don't mean to question their pricing or their business model at all.... but if PMDG could potentially decide to force their aircraft to use Navigraph updates just to operate the FMC without having the option of having at least one AIRAC cycle plugged in... 

[B777ER 2,484]

2 minutes ago, Chuck_Owl said:

Still, I want to know if there will be an option to buy the 747-8i without having to buy into the subscription service (meaning that presumably the EFB will not work with that option). 

I am interested in a simulation with fixed costs. I have no interest in buying into a monthly "pay-to-fly" subscription fee on top of that fixed cost.

The simply don't use the EFB and there is your fixed cost. It's really a simple concept.

[Chuck_Owl 55]

If that option is available... I will do that for sure. I was just not sure whether we had that possibility or not.

[ZK-NBA 14]

On 1/29/2018 at 8:57 AM, scandinavian13 said:

For those observant ones who brought up my sig, the black background remains for a reason. That's all I'll say. 

The explanation is simple. His background is black and the first 787-9 to enter service was black (I was onboard ). This is the only logical explanation I can think of. 

http://bit.ly/2E0nm4u

[Trachemys 11]

I am so happy with the new 748 and NG with new VC also but so sad with the J41 news, I was waiting for this bird and now I have no idea if the Bae is alive or if it will be out one day...

[rsrandazzo 6,353]

Captains,

Seems a few folks are honestly confused by the EFB/Navigraph/Airport Nav Display Layout Map linkup- so please allow me to explain:

Navdata:  We always provide a free database that is current as of the time of release of a product.  That has not changed.  You can subscribe to either Navigraph or Aerosoft's data service to receive updates to the navdata if you wish.

 

Navigation Charts:  These are the displayable charts that you will see on the EFB.  These will only be available via a subscription to Navigraph for their chart service, and eventually at a later date we will make this capability compatible with Aerosoft's offering for charts as well.  The charts are totally independent of the NavData for the purpose of the operation of the 747-8.

 

Airport Navi Display Layout  Map: This requires no subscriptions or external data.  It will work by default with the 747-8.

 

I hope that un-confusifies™ the issue a bit!

 

[Michael Moe 494]

Looking forward to this time ahead of us 

Thanks for the preview

Michael Moe 

[Goof 38]

2 hours ago, rsrandazzo said:

Captains,

Seems a few folks are honestly confused by the EFB/Navigraph/Airport Nav Display Layout Map linkup- so please allow me to explain:

Navdata:  We always provide a free database that is current as of the time of release of a product.  That has not changed.  You can subscribe to either Navigraph or Aerosoft's data service to receive updates to the navdata if you wish.

 

Navigation Charts:  These are the displayable charts that you will see on the EFB.  These will only be available via a subscription to Navigraph for their chart service, and eventually at a later date we will make this capability compatible with Aerosoft's offering for charts as well.  The charts are totally independent of the NavData for the purpose of the operation of the 747-8.

 

Airport Navi Display Layout  Map: This requires no subscriptions or external data.  It will work by default with the 747-8.

 

I hope that un-confusifies™ the issue a bit!

 

did i ever mention that we love you, Robert?

[zap737 1]

Hi Robert,

Should I wait and buy the NG3 or if I buy the NGX now, will I be able to upgrade to the NG3?

If so, will an upgrade from the NGX to NG3 be at a cost or free?

[Hendrik WJ 0]

Hi Robert,

Thank you for taking the time to give us an update on the 747-8i. We really appreciate the effort you and the whole team has put in thus far and we are looking forward to many enjoyable flight hours to come.

 

Hennie Britz

[Ephedrin 418]

29 minutes ago, zap737 said:

Hi Robert,

Should I wait and buy the NG3 or if I buy the NGX now, will I be able to upgrade to the NG3?

If so, will an upgrade from the NGX to NG3 be at a cost or free?

Please... think about it yourself again... 

 

there was a 747X (v2) and there is a 737NGX. they created a new 747v3 as a new product. There is a NG(v)3 coming. Of course you will have to purchase a new product. It will take advantage of all the latest development progress that went into the new 747. It‘s likely that the old NGX gets patched to rule out it‘s issues with the lighting and so on, but din‘t expect too much. It‘s old. 

Should you wait? How eager do you want to fly a 737? I wouldn‘t expect the 737NG3 this year to be honest. Development takes time and PMDG doesn‘t release unfinished products.

and being him a business man running PMDG as his enterprise Robert is actually the wrong man to ask if you should buy the NGX. He wanted to sell me another copy of the DC6 as I drowned mine into the caribbean sea. (For fun of course).

[zap737 1]

On 1/28/2018 at 7:50 AM, rsrandazzo said:

For those wondering about the EFB in other products:  The EFB is highly customized to each airframe and requires a huge amount of data input.  We anticipate that it will eventually appear in the 747-400, the 777 and the NG3, but it will not happen quickly as the amount of data required for these computations takes a HUGE amount of time to collect and make digestible for the process.  It is unlikely we will make it available in NGX, since that product will be updated to NG3.

Robert or other team members, does the above quote mean there will be an upgrade path from NGX to NG3 or does it mean the NGX will be replaced by the NG3?

[jgoggi 65]

I hope the SDK will also contain the electronic checklist features, so that Bryan York can make a completely 747-8 customized FS2Crew (he couldn't with the 777, since there was no SDK for the electronic checklists).