PMDG 777 goes into beta and flight testing

[abrams_tank 7,445]

I am estimating 3 to 4 months of beta testing, similar to the PMDG 737. Looks like a March to April release for this PMDG 777 (worst case would be May if some showstopper showed up during beta testing, but I doubt that since PMDG is much more familiar with MSFS now).

Edited December 18, 2023 by abrams_tank

[ErichB 3,647]

6 hours ago, Jeff Nielsen said:

I'm not sure why Robert is not that excited about the MAX.  I know he said in an interview recently, they're pretty much 737d out, but I would argue that the MAX being the newer of the bunch would create more excitement than the rest, not to mention sell the best.

He pretty much said he would just drop the MAX unannounced, which is why I was expecting something before Xmas.  I suspect this may happen in January.

[MikeH99 157]

Short hop systems wise from Max to 787.... good times a head. Can't wait for 773.

[Fiorentoni 4,296]

1 hour ago, ErichB said:

He pretty much said he would just drop the MAX unannounced, which is why I was expecting something before Xmas.  I suspect this may happen in January.

I totally do not believe they just casually developed the MAX in the background while doing other things. The MAX is not a 737 variant, it's a whole different aircraft, starting from the screens in the cockpit and ending with the infamous MCAS.

[ErichB 3,647]

1 minute ago, Fiorentoni said:

I totally do not believe they just casually developed the MAX in the background while doing other things. The MAX is not a 737 variant, it's a whole different aircraft, starting from the screens in the cockpit and ending with the infamous MCAS.

This is totally true.  But I don't know why people are so resistant to the idea that PMDG could just drop an aircraft without a Macy's Day Parade taking place first.    If they drop something unannounced,  the news will spread quicker than the particle accelerator at CERN.  The commercial result will be the same for them.  People will also be more likely to knee jerk into a purchase with a sudden announcement.

But anyway, who knows.  If it happens, excellent, if it doesn't, then business as usual.

[Torsen 495]

...the only good thing with this news is that when this for me absolutely uninteresting plane gets out of the way hopefully the precious Queen will be next 😄 But anyway its a good news for the ones waiting for it 😉

Have fun flying in the meantime

Cheers T.

[threexgreen 3,152]

1 hour ago, MikeH99 said:

Short hop systems wise from Max to 787.... good times a head. Can't wait for 773.

Huh? The 787 is a completely different aircraft in pretty much all aspects, except for the screens.

 

[Stearmandriver 2,321]

28 minutes ago, Fiorentoni said:

I totally do not believe they just casually developed the MAX in the background while doing other things. The MAX is not a 737 variant, it's a whole different aircraft, starting from the screens in the cockpit and ending with the infamous MCAS.

Well... It's definitely still a 737 variant or it wouldn't be part of the common type, and Boeing would actually have built a clean-sheet design instead of another 737, right?  ;)

Sure, there's systems differences in the actual plane but how many of them really matter from a sim standpoint?  (Though I'd love to see new failures that correctly modeled things like the jammed elevator landing assist mode of the spoilers etc).  Even MCAS in its present form is just part of the speed trim system (I mean it always was, but it has nowhere near the power that it did, now it's really just like the speed trim running.).  The only differences the vast majority of simmers are ever going to notice are the screens and the motoring phase of engine start.  

I am looking forward to seeing it in the sim, though I cringe at the amount of YouTube and Twitch content that will be incoming and consisting of unknowledgeable people using a video game to try and parlay deaths into clicks, with unbelievably embarrassing titles about "demonstrating" the horrors of MCAS.  It's painful to watch people embarrass themselves that way, but we see it every time someone tries to make an "accident investigation" video with the sim...

[F737MAX 5,700]

Quote

our 777 is also benefiting from PMDG having greater familiarity with the customer community that has grown out of the MSFS platform- and we are able to factor in that familiarity when making decisions about the sorts of things the MSFS community values in a simulation product. With each community growth cycle- the things that simmers feel are important in a simulation product change slightly [...] we think it really shows in the final product.

RSR's comment here can be interpreted in a few different ways. Just have to wait for the cockpit screenshots and preview videos to see exactly what he means.

As the first complete complex payware long-hauler expected to arrive on the MSFS scene, the anticipation for this is off the charts.
I really hope for everyone's sake PMDG absolutely smashes it with the 777.

[Farlis 2,299]

36 minutes ago, Torsen said:

...the only good thing with this news is that when this for me absolutely uninteresting plane gets out of the way hopefully the precious Queen will be next 😄 But anyway its a good news for the ones waiting for it 😉

 

I'm one of those that wait for it. I have always been a "current real world operations Simulator". I used to fly the 747-400 lots when it was still active as a passenger jet. But nowadays it has more or less completely vanished and been relageted to cargo flying, if at all.

The times of the Queen have ended and so I would rather see a decent 787 or A350 simulation than someone spending developing resources on historic aircraft that are of no use to me in daily operations.

 

And I guess the majority does it the same. Which is the reason why PMDG's MD-11 was a financial disaster. It came out when it had all but phased out of passenger service in real life.

I loved to fly that thing, but Cargo operations are usually not my thing because of all the night flying.

Edited December 18, 2023 by Farlis

[Fiorentoni 4,296]

22 minutes ago, Stearmandriver said:

Well... It's definitely still a 737 variant or it wouldn't be part of the common type, and Boeing would actually have built a clean-sheet design instead of another 737, right?  😉

 

Well that's like saying the NG is just a variant of the Classic, meaning they could easily just add the 737 Classic too. But that's probably up how to how you define "variant", so let's leave it there.

28 minutes ago, Stearmandriver said:

Sure, there's systems differences in the actual plane but how many of them really matter from a sim standpoint?

That's irrelevant, because PMDG does study level airplanes so they *will* put all those systems with all those failures in place, which takes a lot of time.

My actual guess is that they already had the MAX ready for P3D, but were forced by Boeing to hold it back after the unfortunate events back then. Now this still means they'd have to port it over to P3D, which will still take at least half a year. It's possible they might have actually been working on that the past year, but I doubt they'd take ressources away from the 777 development. Getting the 777 out ASAP is what will make PMDG rich, nothing else.

[Torsen 495]

10 minutes ago, Farlis said:

I'm one of those that wait for it. I have always been a "current real world operations Simulator". I used to fly the 747-400 lots when it was still active as a passenger jet. But nowadays it has more or less completely vanished and been relageted to cargo flying, if at all.

The times of the Queen have ended and so I would rather see a decent 787 or A350 simulation than someone spending developing resources on historic aircraft that are of no use to me in daily operations.

Thats one of the nice things of our hobby. You can do a lot of stuff and whatever you like. But actually that is something I never understood. I have absolutely no interest in what real world operators do and which routes they fly. In addition most of the modern planes are sooooo boring to fly. I love my Fenix and my pmdg 737 and fly them a lot. But honestly if I fly a BAe146, F28 or a DC6 I actually have way more fun and its much more immersive and satisfying to fly a pilots plane correctly and not just manage a modern one. But again that is what makes our hobby so great.

We all find our niche...

Cheers and have fun T.

[Fiorentoni 4,296]

20 minutes ago, Farlis said:

I used to fly the 747-400 lots when it was still active as a passenger jet. But nowadays it has more or less completely vanished and been relageted to cargo flying, if at all.

There's still 259 -400s in service, which is a lot more than the -800s (159). Yes, most -400s are freighters by now, but what's the problem? Great cargo routes lie ahead! Also e.g. Lufthansa still has many -400s in active passengers service and will keep them as long as technically possible.

[Farlis 2,299]

5 minutes ago, Torsen said:

In addition most of the modern planes are sooooo boring to fly.

I think what you call boring, real pilots would call convenient. You don't want difficulties and challenges in daily operations. You want everything to go smooth so that you can concentrate on landing that thing without having to think too much about anything else then to follow what you see on the PFD or outside of the window. 😉

The interesting part is the planning and calculating.

But you are right, it's all about having all the options. 

1 minute ago, Fiorentoni said:

Yes, most -400s are freighters by now, but what's the problem?

The night flying.

Edited December 18, 2023 by Farlis

[micstatic 4,337]

28 minutes ago, Farlis said:

I'm one of those that wait for it. I have always been a "current real world operations Simulator". I used to fly the 747-400 lots when it was still active as a passenger jet. But nowadays it has more or less completely vanished and been relageted to cargo flying, if at all.

The times of the Queen have ended and so I would rather see a decent 787 or A350 simulation than someone spending developing resources on historic aircraft that are of no use to me in daily operations.

 

of course one of the biggest benefits of a flight sim is a plane can retire, yet live on indefinitely in the sim.  I personally could care less whether a plane is still flying in real life.