[12MAY18] First Cockpit Video Preview of the PMDG 747-8

[JRBarrett 3,034]

1 hour ago, kevinh said:

All those things are one off costs, the chart subscription is a running cost. I’ve never paid for charts as current airport charts are often freely available. It’s only enroute charts that have to be bought. It’s not a huge amount but it all mounts up especially if you are paying for charts you can get at no charge. I’m not going to take out a subscription just so I can see the chart in the EFB. If it’s possible to display PDF charts then I hope PMDG support that.  If not then I can live without that feature.

I suspect the issue may be organising the charts for selection and display rather than simply displaying them. Getting the charts from a given supply service in a common format would make this much easier to program than importing random PDFs.

I doubt it has anything to do with preventing out of date charts being used, as suggested in another post. Out of date airac data can be used after all. 

Navigraph charts are often not the latest versions in any case. They seem to be typically a revision or two behind the current cycle. That may be a condition imposed by Jeppesen, the chart supplier, since the charts are only intended to be used for flight simulation.

I think the new EFB in the -8 is a neat idea, but it’s not something that I myself would probably use all that much. I use my iPad as a “real” EFB. I have ForeFlight Pro (with georeferenced charts for the US and Canada).  I put my current FP into ForeFlight, and use it as a moving map. For P3D, the program FSXFlight sends the aircraft’s current position speed and altitude to ForeFlight. X-Plane has native support for ForeFlight.

I have all the manuals for every add-on I own stored in the iBooks app as PDF files for quick reference.

I use Simbrief for flight planning, and download my OFP to iBooks as well before departure.

I do use the Navigraph charts on the iPad for flights outside of the US. I realize that current charts for most airports in Europe can be downloaded for free from individual countries’ AIP web sites, but the Navigraph app covers many areas that do not have free charts (like Asia).

For me, having the physical iPad in hand is easier than trying to access things like charts on a simulated EFB in-game, but for those who do not have an external tablet, I think the new PMDG EFB will be well received and useful.

[xTiMm_ 50]

You/we just have to wait if PMDG enables us the EFB to use for external pads like the iPad or a tablet.

[squerble 300]

For me, the EFB will have the greatest use in the performance calculations. As there's no -8 dataset for TOPCAT then it'll be a welcome addition to get the correct calculations (especially as they'll be tuned specifically for the PMDG model). 

As well as the chart subscription from Navigraph, I recently found out the fsAerodata are looking at making an airport update service for major airports in addition to their FSX/P3D navdata update services (link for those interested). This will be a huge boon for people like myself who are perfectly happy with "default" airports but would like up-to-date taxiways, runways etc that are missing from the currently decade-old airports in P3D. Line this up with Navigraph charts and the ground map on the -8 and you've got an amazing implementation.

Edited May 14, 2018 by squerble

[Ephedrin 418]

5 hours ago, squerble said:

 

Henrik, there is a difference. The PDF of the exported plan is parsed and then imported to the sim. It isn't just displayed as you're imagining it is.

 

EDIT: Should probably clarify this is how I strongly imagine it will be. FSL do the same with their A320 and it "imports" the PDF...

FSL reads the PDF. It looks to me like Chris was just zooming a picture in and out.. You can rotate it, fit it and so on... And he says in the video that you can show any pdf that has no copyright.

[ps1flyer 9]

Great video, thank you!

I have a couple of questions, too, but rather focus on the 'inner workings'. I see that a lot of the subtle details changes are their. I had the pleasure of flying the 747-8i full flight sim last year for two hours and worked through the 744 vs. 748 differences course for that. Hence, I appreciate to see all the little details that have changed already compared to the 744 (like the map range selector, the push buttons for the packs or engine start system, not to mention - it's in the video already the taxi maps and the digital stab trim indicator.)

I am confident that you modelled more of the difference (e.g. one part of the flight controls - not all - being FBW now). Can you comment on what has been changed (to the 744) systems-wise?

As for the FMC - is it more a replica of the 777 FMC we already know or is it accurately modelled after the Next Gen 747 FMC used in the 747-8is and 747-8Fs, with all it's changes to the original 744 FMC?

More of joking rather than serious question - some airlines like BA have retrofitted their 747-400 fleet with the NextGen FMC (but keeping their "old" green-coloured MCDUs!) - any chance we will see a NextGen FMC in the PMDG 747-400? 🙂

Cheers,

  Markus

p.s.

By the way regarding EFB - good to have one. But quite obviously not every airline is using the Boeing EFB. E.g. Lufthansa 747-8i s use a huge flat screen panel mounted next to the side windows, displaying a Lido Moving Map. And let's see if it's really helpful to have a chart inside the cockpit (I'm thinking of readability here). But anyway - good to have an EFB! I'm happy with what is shown.

Edited May 14, 2018 by ps1flyer

[Ephedrin 418]

5 minutes ago, ps1flyer said:

Great video, thank you!

I have a couple of questions, too, but rather focus on the 'inner workings'. I see that a lot of the subtle details changes are their. I had the pleasure of flying the 747-8i full flight sim last year for two hours and worked through the 744 vs. 748 differences course for that. Hence, I appreciate to see all the little details that have changed already compared to the 744 (like the map range selector, the push buttons for the packs or engine start system, not to mention - it's in the video already the taxi maps and the digital stab trim indicator.)

I am confident that you modelled more of the difference (e.g. one part of the flight controls - not all - being FBW now). Can you comment on what has been changed (to the 744) systems-wise?

As for the FMC - is it more a replica of the 777 FMC we already know or is it accurately modelled after the Next Gen 747 FMC used in the 747-8is and 747-8Fs, with all it's changes to the original 744 FMC?

More of joking rather than serious question - some airlines like BA have retrofitted their 747-400 fleet with the NextGen FMC (but keeping their "old" green-coloured MCDUs!) - any chance we will see a NextGen FMC in the PMDG 747-400? 🙂

Cheers,

  Markus

 

you can be sure that PMDG have recreated a 747-8 as it works and has to be and not a 747-400 just looking like a 748. For the FMC question: No idea, I wouldn't expect it... but knowing them there is nothing impossible.

[simon747 185]

Looks Awesome!

[B777ER 2,474]

5 hours ago, xTiMm_ said:

You/we just have to wait if PMDG enables us the EFB to use for external pads like the iPad or a tablet.

Now that would be nice. I use the Navigraph Charts app on my 10in Android tablet and don't see that changing. The EFB will be great for viewing charts for those without a tablet. Having the tablet in hand though is a much better experience for me and thus will not use the EFB for that at all. Performance calculations will probably be it. 

Edited May 14, 2018 by B777ER

[Ashatsea 7]

 What is the EICAS Info (information) button? I noticed that was the only one he didn't push when going over the EICAS system. I have been ripping through Google and 747-8 documentation on the internet for the past 20 mins with NEGRES.

[30K 72]

9 hours ago, squerble said:

 

Henrik, there is a difference. The PDF of the exported plan is parsed and then imported to the sim. It isn't just displayed as you're imagining it is.

 

EDIT: Should probably clarify this is how I strongly imagine it will be. FSL do the same with their A320 and it "imports" the PDF...

And what exactly do they parse, or better how?

If they get themselfs a Json/XML or whatever they still display it. That's what I meant and where do I restrict myself here? Only if I pre-define a file structure and write my parser in this way - where we would be back at a content filter.

Anyway without having a look at the source code and the methods used we fly blind here. We'll find out soon enough.

[Ephedrin 418]

25 minutes ago, 30K said:

we fly blind here

There's an ILS in the video ^^ He actually says it's a pdf reader.. 

[skysurfer 76]

Hello. 

Nice video. I am wondering if takeoff and landing data calculated in EFB (like V-speeds) can be transfered to FMC. That would be helpful for the last minute Rwy change as it often happens in real world. 

Thanks 

[Ephedrin 418]

6 minutes ago, skysurfer said:

Hello. 

Nice video. I am wondering if takeoff and landing data calculated in EFB (like V-speeds) can be transfered to FMC. That would be helpful for the last minute Rwy change as it often happens in real world. 

Thanks 

We know PMDG.. If the real 748 can do it, this one can do it too. And if the real can't, I am alsmost sure that PMDG will have an option for it. As always.

[Captain Kevin 586]

29 minutes ago, skysurfer said:

Hello. 

Nice video. I am wondering if takeoff and landing data calculated in EFB (like V-speeds) can be transfered to FMC. That would be helpful for the last minute Rwy change as it often happens in real world. 

Thanks 

I would think so. I assume that's what the "Send Output" button on the take-off page does.

[downscc 1,327]

Someone finally noticed something in the EFB that is important.  I'm ambivalent on having an Adobe Reader, the real meat here is performance calculations (goodbye TOPCAT) and detailed weight and balance loading.  This means you're going to be able to end up outside the envelope if you so wish to do so.  Back to the performance calculator.... this is what I've been waiting for a long long time.