Hi all,

not sure whether whether this question of mine fits better in the general forum or whether it belongs in here. I'll try here... 🙂

Since the release of the 747-8i/8F expansion - again, thanks a lot for a great airplane - most of us are aware that the FMC in the -8 is substantially upgraded compared to the -400, that is, more functions and, in the real aircraft, more memory for the databases.  In fact, it's called the NG FMC, for Next-Generation FMC, by Honeywell.

Some may know that a few real world airlines, e.g. British Airways or Kalitta, just to name a few, have retroftitted this NG FMC into their existiing -400 fleet. Thus, they have the upgraded avionics in their legacy 747-400 fleets available. This is not necessarily obvious from photos or videos, as the MCDU are still the "old style" green font MCDUs.

Now, I just wonder whether this retrofit of the NG FMC from the -8 into the -400 is something that is on a  PMDG roadmap for some potential future update?

 

(It'll surely be nice to have that option in the sim as well since it gave the real world -400s quite a bit of extra life... 😎)

Thanks,

  Markus

 

HI Markus,

If you bring your older 747-400 into the PMDG Mod Center in VA we will gladly upgrade the avionics to the current standard for a mere $5.5 Million per aircraft.  A real bargain if you ask me.  The work is top notch.  😄

1 hour ago, Jet Tech said:

HI Markus,

If you bring your older 747-400 into the PMDG Mod Center in VA we will gladly upgrade the avionics to the current standard for a mere $5.5 Million per aircraft.  A real bargain if you ask me.  The work is top notch.  😄

Where do I sign? Do you accept a check - if it's made out to Robert? 😆

1 hour ago, Jet Tech said:

for a mere $5.5 Million per aircraft

Just wondering is the real going price for such an upgrade?

Hi Paul,

if you can guarantee to keep the retrofitted PMDG 747-400 airworthy until BA and Kalitta have retired their last -400 (I guess by the time, we'll have P3D v10 around😅), then you have the deal and I'll rush to the bank.

Thanks for the answer,

  Markus

Markus,

All of our upgrades come with the 5 Minute or 5000 Ft guarantee, whichever comes first.  😛 If I were to guess (and strictly a guess) I would bet that real upgrade runs in the 1 to $1.5 Million range per aircraft depending on how heavy the wiring modifications are.    I know that adding  FANS capability to our early Whales was a massive undertaking.

I second the request. The VNAV logic is quite different on the NG FMC. No more VNAV SPD when opening the window, it now just stays in path. 

Would be great if this could be a configurable option on the FMC for the 400. 

Actually, the developer of another 747-400 sim (non FSX/P3D) is currently developing a NG FMC retrofit extension (payware add-on) for this particular sim. So, this will bring exactly this behaviour to a 747-400 simulation later this year, as well as a bunch of other stuff (like RF legs, ... ).

 

Markus

 

Retrofit the EFB into the 747-400 too! - David Lee

10 hours ago, Boeing or not going said:

Retrofit the EFB into the 747-400 too! - David Lee

As long as it's an option sure.. But I like my 400 looking old school with analog MCP and windows. So the 8 feels like a different plane then in every way.