PMDG 777-200ER Released

[Hoang 108]

59 minutes ago, F737NG said:

Hmmm...

This video is taken after last night's update. 
Leaves me feeling a bit seasick. Apparently it's more prevalent at <200kts.

 

I know they are talking about the engines not wobbling but wow.... the whole airplane does!

I thought I'm going to have a good time with it after this release, probably not...

[flycln 435]

For what it’s worth I haven’t seen anything like this in three flights since the update. Worked just fine for me. 

[Christopher Low 5,354]

My (yet to be updated, and probably not to be updated) version of the 777 definitely does not have bouncy castle syndrome, so I will be staying well clear of Mr Operations Center at this time.

[Bob Scott 7,721]

I saw the rapid PIO thing like in the video happen momentarily one time...but it was before the most recent patch/micro-update. 

First flight after the update, the darned plane abruptly--and I do mean abruptly--levelled off ~400 feet early and then the nose hunted up/down as it erratically eeked its way up to the selected altitude.  It was sluggish enough getting there that I got a "watch your altitude" warning from ATC (Radar Contact v4).  In a real jet a pitch change that abrupt would have you dropping your coffee in your lap and grabbing for the yoke.

[B777ER 2,486]

1 hour ago, w6kd said:

I saw the rapid PIO thing like in the video happen momentarily one time...but it was before the most recent patch/micro-update. 

First flight after the update, the darned plane abruptly--and I do mean abruptly--levelled off ~400 feet early and then the nose hunted up/down as it erratically eeked its way up to the selected altitude.  It was sluggish enough getting there that I got a "watch your altitude" warning from ATC (Radar Contact v4).  In a real jet a pitch change that abrupt would have you dropping your coffee in your lap and grabbing for the yoke.

I've seen it since the update at times pitch +/- 400 to 500ft either side of selected altitude in cruise.

[james42 258]

Just finished my first flight since the update in the 200ER. Didn't notice any pitch issues with the autopilot. I have seen this issue with their 747-8, I would often need to press ALT HOLD when levelling off for the cruise as V-NAV would just endlessly oscillate. I'm planning a flight with the 300ER tomorrow, will report back with my findings.   

[btacon 1,806]

I too, after the update, am now experiencing oscillations at cruise in at least the 200, have not checked the rest.  +/- 200 feet or so deviation from level. At about 30 Oscillations per minute for me. 
 

Did not happen before update. Does not happen on my NGXu. Maybe on my 747 bit nothing as consistent or obvious as this. 
 

I’ll try the setting Alt hold as suggested previously in this thread, but an eventual fix would be appreciated 

-Braun

[_Airbus_Fan_ 26]

I think that the 777 (all variants) is worse after the whole update when landing than before the updates.
The flare is no longer right with me and I've been flying the 777 for more than 7 years.
Landings were never a problem but now the 777 just slams onto the runway.
So she does not float down nicely or does not sit down as usual.
I've already tried everything from calibrations of the stick etc. but it doesn't help.
I honestly regret that I didn't keep the old version, it didn't have such problems.
It's a shame, because flying the 777 is no longer fun if you know from the start that the landing will not be good.

[Christopher Low 5,354]

I have always had a little bit of trouble getting the 777 to flare when compared to the 737 and 747, but I assume that this has something to do with the FBW system? I know that the A/T is supposed to remain engaged when landing the 777, but I always disconnect it (together with the autopilot) at 1000 feet like I do with the other two planes.

[james42 258]

1 hour ago, Christopher Low said:

I have always had a little bit of trouble getting the 777 to flare when compared to the 737 and 747, but I assume that this has something to do with the FBW system? I know that the A/T is supposed to remain engaged when landing the 777, but I always disconnect it (together with the autopilot) at 1000 feet like I do with the other two planes.

The technique i use for the 777 is the same technique I use for 747 and it seems to work ok.

The flair in the 777 is quite a subtle maneuver, much like the 747. As you come into land, listen to the gpws. Soon as you hear the "th" in thirty, raise the nose about 2 or 3 degrees then hold the attitude and let the aircraft settle on the runway. Make subtle corrections as needed. The A/T behaves a lot better in this version so i would say it's ok to keep in connected. 

[Christopher Low 5,354]

My issue with the flare in the 777 is not how much or how little to pitch up. It's the fact that pulling the joystick back to flare in the 777 hardly does anything at all. That is nothing like the 747 (which flares very nicely, as does the 737).

[LRBS 948]

After all, I did a few more tests, and unfortunately:

 

Still autopilot violent pitches

 

Still big erratic problems with altitude capture, sometimes leveling off by 400 ft before the target altitude and from there fishing to level off.

This problem is very pronounced on 777 and 747 for decades.

 

Sometimes during star or approach, the autopilot will not follow the track, and the answer from one of theirs guys is that they suspect the motherboard battery, "This just happened to one of the guys on the beta team a couple of weeks ago".

Or better, he's using "HWiNFO64 to keep track of voltages and temperatures in my system".

 

With this kind of answer, reasons, and expertise, there is no hope for these people to get something right at this point.

 

By the way, I put an old dead battery or even removed completely the battery from the mobo, and surprise surprise, the computer, and all the software work ok. The only thing was to adjust the date and time manually.

 

I guess if somebody finds another bug today is going to be related due to the Daylight-Saving Time change over.

[OzWhitey 3,353]

Hmmm...pmdg forum seem very positive on the updated T7.

i just flew YPPH to YSSY, handflying the first hour. Pitch control was much improved, no problems with maintaining altitude.

Autoflight worked very well.

i flew the STAR and landing manually - with AT on - landing was a greaser, yes that’s my first landing in the T7 since the recent fixes but pretty happy so far. 

[LRBS 948]

43 minutes ago, OzWhitey said:

Hmmm...pmdg forum seem very positive on the updated T7.

i just flew YPPH to YSSY, handflying the first hour. Pitch control was much improved, no problems with maintaining altitude.

Autoflight worked very well.

i flew the STAR and landing manually - with AT on - landing was a greaser, yes that’s my first landing in the T7 since the recent fixes but pretty happy so far. 

I agree about the pitch while manual flight, some improvement but not on autopilot.

If I remember correctly if AT are on as you said on manual landing they should go automatically to idle at 20 FT, like in the -8.

 

The problems I mentioned you will find more or less in their forum:

 

* Transition leg issues on almost every flight.

Transition Leg Issue

Yesterday, 20:37

Altitude Oscillations at Cruise.

Yesterday, 23:33

 

 

And the issue seems to be according to DDowns "When the A/P fails to hold track and starts wandering off the first suspect is the motherboard battery. This just happened to one of the guys on the beta team a couple of weeks ago. This has nothing to do with the transition or arrival procedure".

 

I'm sorry, but when you see statements like that from a person like that, involved in evaluating and making sure that the software works is quite alarming.

 

You can go on their forum and see what is all about, yes there are some very small fixes but I'm afraid that is beyond their capabilities and knowledge at this point.

[james42 258]

On 3/13/2021 at 10:39 PM, james42 said:

Just finished my first flight since the update in the 200ER. Didn't notice any pitch issues with the autopilot. I have seen this issue with their 747-8, I would often need to press ALT HOLD when levelling off for the cruise as V-NAV would just endlessly oscillate. I'm planning a flight with the 300ER tomorrow, will report back with my findings.   

Ok, just finished my first flight in the 300ER since the update. 

LAX-MIA. Departed LAX 25R via the DOTSS2 SID, climbed to FL330 no problems at all. Later a step climb to FL350, again no problems maintaining altitude. Decent into MIA via the SSCOT5 arrival into an ILS for 8R. Decent was ok, I did have a few pitch wobbles just as I intercepted the glideslope but nothing too concerning. Autothrottle left a bit to be desired on final approach but not bad over all.  However, one thing I did notice is that the autobrakes were completely useless on landing. I did my landing calculations before landing, EFB said I should stop with just under 3000 feet remaining. Had to step in with manual brakes as I would of gone off the end for sure.        

Edited March 14, 2021 by james42