PMDG UFT Preview. Just Published

[Lucky38i 1,101]

9 minutes ago, JBDB-MD80 said:

Bottom like is PMDG is trying to write code for an XBOX and Fenix, MaddogX etc. don't want no part of it. Read between the lines. Its all about how much money you can make on future products and that's facts and different developers have different priorities.

Just to clarify the fenix EFB is a JS module running native to msfs and does sim connect interactions, so in theory compatible with Xbox 

Edited October 28, 2023 by Lucky38i

[JBDB-MD80 1,480]

6 minutes ago, mryan75 said:

I honestly couldn’t care less if they ever released an EFB for this plane. This comment is absolutely laughable. One may like the Fenix more, but this is at worst the second-best plane in MSFS. “Nowhere near top tier”? Give me a break. 

There is no doubt PMDG is a top Dog in Flight Sim, just not show their full hand in MSFS yet.

[JRBarrett 3,118]

2 hours ago, hhbrbg said:

Maybe I missed it, but where is the button to transfer the route to the fmc?🙈

That is not needed. When you download a Simbrief flightplan into the EFB  the RTE and WX files are automatically placed into the PMDG “work” folders behind the scenes - the same folders currently used by the stand-alone Simbrief Downloader.

So, when you enter your departure and destination airport into the FMS, you should find the Simbrief flight plan ready to load.

[JRBarrett 3,118]

17 minutes ago, JBDB-MD80 said:

Bottom like is PMDG is trying to write code for an XBOX and Fenix, MaddogX etc. don't want no part of it. Read between the lines. Its all about how much money you can make on future products and that's facts and different developers have different priorities.

Fenix and Maddog can never be on XBox because of the way the add-ons are designed. It has nothing to do with what the developers “want”. Both depend on external programs, and that is not permitted on XBox. It is a technical choice the developers made, which happens to preclude them from the XB platform.

[JRBarrett 3,118]

2 hours ago, B777ER said:

After two years, this is what we get? Are we on Candid Camera? All that time RSR spent complaining about communicating with the sim and it’s literally 3 buttons to get aircraft data in this release version. That’s what hung them up? The EFB from Fenix and FBW make this look like a junior high computer class project. PMDG has certainly fallen from their lofty perch they enjoyed pre-MSFS2020. They are nowhere near top tier anymore. Rested on the reputation and it’s showing.

It has all the functions in the initial release version that a real aircraft EFB would have. Yes, it would be nice to have options like controlling doors and external power in the UFB UI, those things will be coming - but you can’t do any of that in a “real” EFB in any case.

I watched British AVGeek’s live stream and all the current functions appear to work very well. When you download a Simbrief  flight plan, the FP route and enroute wind forecasts automatically load in the background and become available in the FMS. The takeoff performance calculator automatically loads the METAR winds and temperature and gives you a maximum assumed temperature setting for a derated takeoff on your chosen departure runway. I assume (but do not yet know) that if you choose an excessive derate for the specific runway that you will get a warning.

The Navigraph Charts interface appears elegant and well done.

And yet some people will declare that the EFB is “garbage” because it won’t (currently) allow you to ask the FA to bring you a cup of coffee. or remotely flush the forward lav toilet.. 

 

[jason74 142]

1 hour ago, DavidP said:

(a) How long did Fenix take to develop and release?

(b) PMDG explained the reasons for the time it has taken, so they started from a different base line that Fenix.

The comparison is apples and oranges.

Fenix development was about the same as the 737 and they managed to push out a EFB on release.

knowing PMDG they where probably thinking about making the EFB a paid upgrade

Edited October 28, 2023 by jason74

[Stearmandriver 2,324]

This thread is comical.

Guys... It's an EFB.  The only reason they're exciting in real life is that, instead of spending hours revising paper manuals, I can now just hit the "update" button.  That's literally it.  That's the only difference between my iPad and the old paper way.

It's just a different way to present the same information.  In the sim, a pretend tablet in a pretend airplane is MEANINGLESS.

Why?  Because none of them - not PMDG's, not Fenix's, not FBW's etc - do anything you couldn't do without them.  They just present clickspots on a screen that you can interact with to present information or toggle an option.

We all had myriad ways to display a Navigraph chart before this EFB.  Clicking through a menu interface to toggle doors or ground equip options is literally the same thing, whether you do it via a pretend iPad or a pretend CDU.

I'm just glad this debacle is finally over, so perhaps we can have some work from the devs that is in some way meaningful to the simulation.  RF leg ability, for instance. That kind of thing has been on hold for a year plus so the devs could cater to the community's demand for a meaningless pretend tablet.  Thank goodness it's finally here.  😂

[DaWu 779]

They really need to hire a ui guy. That looks like a website from 1998

[chapstick 2,762]

9 minutes ago, Stearmandriver said:

Why?  Because none of them - not PMDG's, not Fenix's, not FBW's etc - do anything you couldn't do without them.

Takeoff and landing calculations are important and the third party tools available all have certain drawbacks or cost money.

[rjquick 232]

The 737 NG is an aircraft from the early 90s.

Edited October 28, 2023 by rjquick
missing a word

[james42 258]

31 minutes ago, rjquick said:

The 737 NG is an aircraft from the early 90s.

Late 90s. The NG first flew in 1997.

[JYW 2,989]

27 minutes ago, rjquick said:

The 737 NG is an aircraft from the early 90s.

Sorry to be pedantic but late 90s.   

[EDIT: James beat me to it]

Edited October 29, 2023 by JYW

[BIGSKY 316]

2 hours ago, james42 said:

Does look solid enough. But as others have said, slightly disappointing they couldn't include the ability to open doors, change aircraft options etc on release. Hopefully soon they can also have the failure settings on it too. Then it will almost be like an instructors console in a level-D sim. 

Cockpit crew don't do ground servicing,all that should be automatic......

[MikeH99 157]

Meh waiting on Fenix A321.

[BIGSKY 316]

1 hour ago, Stearmandriver said:

 Clicking through a menu interface to toggle doors or ground equip options is literally the same thing, whether you do it via a pretend iPad or a pretend CDU.

Pilots dont do this work,should be all automatic,how long do I have to repeat this?