csimons

General Provide an immersive aviation experience through the use of realistic flight modeling, weather, ATC, visuals, and ambiance, in a living environment. Learn from the successes and failures of past and present competitors. Develop a solid and comprehensive core engine and allow 3rd party designers the freedom to contribute to the life of this program. This model worked extremely well for games such as FSX and the ARMA series. Know your customer base. How they fly, where they fly, what they fly and why they fly. Use a build from the top down approach. Build for your hardcore users and allow the more casual users to decrease the level of realism. Flight Model Realistic aircraft handling in crosswind and turbulence Aircraft handling on the ground Realistic braking action and ground handling on contaminated surfaces Weather Users should feel a heightened level of anxiety similar to PvPing in an FPS against other players when flying through dangerous weather situations. There should be consequences for failing to plan or avoid hazardous weather conditions. Model aircraft Icing Model the deicing process, fluid types and hold times, designated deicing locations Model every condition that can be found on a METAR. Model windshear 3D volumetric clouds ATC SIDs and STARS used by players and AI aircraft ATC utilizes speed, vectoring, and altitude commands to all aircraft to maintain safe separation and spacing for landing. Allow ATC to place player controlled and AI aircraft into a holding pattern. Improved traffic management of aircraft traffic on the ground. Use of all runways and taxiways as appropriate based on weather, traffic flows etc. Allow players to declare an emergency with ATC ATC phraseology changes by region Speech recognition for ATC communications Aircraft Model random system failures Add some decent stock aircraft spanning the size of a Cessna 172 to a twin engine wide body. Doesn’t have to be PMDG quality. Something for everyone (bush pilots, casual private pilot, corporate, and airline pilot) Scenery Nav database current within 6 months of release to include new airports such as Beijing Daxing International Airport opening September 2019, and others build post FSX. Runways, runway designations, taxiways, gates, and ramp areas match open source data (e.g Google Earth) and information available from services such as Jeppesen. HD terrain mesh around all airports (20nm radius?) Sloped runways Visual Docking Guidance System Gate number signs next to each gate Runway Status Light (RWSL) System Pilot Control of Airport Lighting Marshallers and ground crew interact with all aircraft Clearance Bar Lights Runway Guard Lights Stop Bar Lights Stock ground handling equipment interact with all aircraft (baggage carts, catering, fuel, tugs, deicing) All obstacles, landmarks, approach lighting found on an approach plate. Example JFK VOR / GPS approach 13 L/R https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAvsue88nj8 Aviation hazards such as birds, other wildlife, runway incursions All major landmarks modeled (use Google Earth 3D buildings?) Lighting One of the things I like about a current competitor’s product is the challenge of maintaining situational awareness when landing at smaller airports at night. It’s really dark out and it forces me to work on my night flying skills. Realistic lighting effects from internal and external aircraft lights (pavement reflection, strobe, beacons, and landing lights in clouds or precipitation) Light effects on clouds, water, and the ground Airport lighting (ramp, terminals) Realistic city and street lights Realistic cloud to cloud and cloud to ground lightning Sound Realistic internal and external engine sounds Wind and weather effects both internal and external Ambient airport sounds (AI aircraft engines, APUs, ground vehicles) Improved “human” radio voices Speech speed at real world tempo Other ambient noises when taxing, landing, or taking off heard in the cockpit. Nice to haves Annual DLC updates containing airport updates, nav procedures, scenery Training lessons to obtain various ratings (Private, Instrument, Multi-engine, etc.) Pilot Performance ratings based on passenger comfort and aircraft safety violations such as aircraft performance exceedances, touchdown sink rate, etc.

Well I doubt this will be their next project but I’d love to see PMDG explore the Pilatus PC-24 as a future project. I stumbled across this new light business jet on YouTube a few weeks ago and got hooked immediately. It can operate from very short runways including unpaved surfaces but with the performance of a jet. This would substantially open up the number airports one could fly into. If you like advanced avionics with all the bells and whistles like I do, this aircraft appears to have a lot of them. On another note, if this Boeing / Embraer partnership gets approved by everyone as mentioned earlier in the thread, perhaps PMDG will have access to additional resources to be able to add a study level corporate jet into their portfolio such as the Phenom, Legacy, or Praetor series aircraft. Charlie Simons

Thank you Kyle! Charlie Simons

Just updated to 3.00.9195 and noticed the 747-8 Captain's PFD Zoom Display no longer works. Clicking on the PFD doesn't display the zoomed window. The Co-pilot's works just fine. I'm running P3D 4.4. Wanted to see if anyone else is experiencing this before I submit a support ticket. Thanks, Charlie Simons

Just encountered this today myself. As soon as I hit Yes, Allow authentication with Navigraph, P3D CTD. I had updated GSX and ran the new MakeRwys update earlier. Thinking I would uninstall GSX first to troubleshoot, I noticed my computer clock was running fast, something I've been dealing with on my new PC. I corrected the time and just for grins, wanted to see if that made a difference. It did! I've been able to access my charts via the EFB twice. Maybe check your PC clock's time to see if that might help. Charlie Simons

Some really good theories as to what the announcement could be. I agree with many of you that this won’t be another aircraft. If PMDG has been working on this since 2008, this is something on the scale of a major addon. Looking at some of the gaps that remain with FSX/P3D, it might be one of the following: ATC engine enhancement – If PMDG has a partnership with Navigraph, maybe an ATC engine addon could integrate with their data (SIDS, STARS, Compulsory Reporting Points, trans-oceanic procedures, etc.) providing a much more realistic and immersive flying experience. Not having a current AFCAD file for the airport you are operating out of could be problematic though. Global AFCAD update – What good is having current nav charts and nav data when the airport you are operating out of visually represents what it looked like over a decade ago and doesn’t account for new or updated runways, runway designations, taxiways, ramp and terminal areas not to mention the many new airports that came online since the release of FSX. The thought crossed my mind again when I saw the airport moving map display for their upcoming 747-8. I can think of a number of airports where the moving map won’t represent the default airport AFCAD. If PMDG has a partnership with Navigraph, this might be another opportunity. Maybe in the form of a subscription service where airport updates are released quarterly or annually. Some sort of airline career or airline operations addon - Something that adds more immersion into their airline / cargo line of products. I think the following gaps are already being address by other providers and I don’t see PMDG going into a market that’s heavily competitive or saturated. Some of which integrate with PMDG aircraft (FS2Crew, Navigraph, Active Sky). Weather engine enhancements Scenery (Mesh/ individual airport modeling / visual enhancements) Flight planning Nav Data Ground handling Flight crew assistant Initially I thought they could be working on a new sim. XP11, P3D, and FSW all have their own strengths and shortcomings. Unless PMDG designed a platform that clearly raises the bar to a completely new level in the flight sim market, I don’t see them doing it. Plus, they have a strong customer base using FSX/P3D. Whatever it is, I’m excited and look forward to it.

Does anyone know if there is a list available that shows the extent of updates needed to the stock FSX AFCADS to bring them to a current state? Something like this may be useful to AFCAD developers to select their projects or pilots that have discovered while on approach that their scenery doesn’t matchup with their navdata. I briefly compared the information on Wikipedia, Google Earth, and Bing Maps to the FSX stock scenery and created a spreadsheet listing 176 Chinese airports. I wasn't able post the result for some reason but it's setup like this. ICAO => Airport Name => Remarks => Freeware or Payware Available? Y/N => Navdata Available? Y/N => Charts Available? Y/N Of the airports I checked: 3 appeared pretty current 12 needed major updates 18 needed moderate updates 11 needed minor updates ZSOF has moved completely 131 were missing from FSX Major updates since FSX release = Additional or repositioned runways, and major ramp, terminal, or taxiway changes Moderate updates since FSX release = Significant changes to taxiways, terminals, or ramp space Minor Updates since FSX Release = Slight changes in a taxiway or ramp area. Missing in FSX = Located airport on Google Earth or Bing Maps but not in stock FSX scenery. If a list like this doesn't exist, are there any suggestions on how we can get this project started? Regards, Zubin R. Clark

Does anyone know if there is a list available that shows the extent of updates needed to the stock FSX AFCADS to bring them to a current state? Something like this may be useful to AFCAD developers to select their projects or pilots that have discovered while on approach that their scenery doesn’t matchup with their navdata. I briefly compared the information on Wikipedia, Google Earth, and Bing Maps to the FSX stock scenery and created a spreadsheet listing 176 Chinese airports. I wasn't able post the result for some reason but it's setup like this. ICAO => Airport Name => Remarks => Freeware or Payware Available? Y/N => Navdata Available? Y/N => Charts Available? Y/N Of the airports I checked: 3 appeared pretty current 12 needed major updates 18 needed moderate updates 11 needed minor updates ZSOF has moved completely 131 were missing from FSX Major updates since FSX release = Additional or repositioned runways, and major ramp, terminal, or taxiway changes Moderate updates since FSX release = Significant changes to taxiways, terminals, or ramp space Minor Updates since FSX Release = Slight changes in a taxiway or ramp area. Missing in FSX = Located airport on Google Earth or Bing Maps but not in stock FSX scenery. If a list like this doesn't exist, are there any suggestions on how we can get this project started? Regards, Zubin R. Clark

Boeing Source Material This question may answer the following questions. Are you downloading the 777 PDF manuals from My Boeing Fleet and adding a PMDG watermark or is Boeing supplying you the documents in another format like Framemaker? Just curious as to what flexibility Boeing is giving you to modify the documentation if at all. QRH Functionality Will the 777 QRH come with bookmarks or will it be in a similar format as the NGX QRH? When I fly the NGX, I have FSX running on one monitor and the QRH on my second monitor. If I encounter an emergency or abnormal condition, It would be nice to be able to click on the bookmark / hyperlink from the Quick Action Index or Unannunciated Checklist Index item, and be taken directly to the procedure. PMDG Applicable Content While I truly appreciate having the entire Boeing FCOM series, FCTM, and QRH available, are you able to somehow differentiate what content is not modeled in PMDG or add your own content to describe how a particular system or feature functions if differently than the real world? Regards, Zubin R. Clark

I've always thought Microsoft did a good job with scenery and this press release reinforces my opinion. I do however hope they put more focus on what I and others from the FS community have been asking Microsoft for years: Completely Overhauled Weather Model - Weather plays such a major role in all flight operations. Weather has been a contributing factor to many aviation accidents over the years. Icing, contaminated runways, hail, wind shear, are few of the weather hazards out there that have had little to no impact on my flight simulation experience. Visual models of overcast skies, thunderstorms, various types of precipitation, and transitions from one weather area to another need to be improved. It's time for MS to create a weather model where we can admire it's beauty and respect it's power. Improved ATC Model - I have no desire to fly online with other aviators. I prefer being immersed into an environment where realistic ATC procedures are being used at any airport I desire, at any time of the day, and with as many AI aircraft in the area following the same procedures. Airports should use realistic runway and taxiway traffic flows based on weather conditions and airport congestion. New Lighting Model - From city lights to aircraft internal and external lights, lightning, and the numerous types of airport lighting systems, MS needs to make substantial improvements to this area. Frame Rate Performance - This has been a complaint by many for years. MS needs to make the game playable with visuals maxed using existing and commonly used technology. Airport Models - Airports realistically modeled to include runway textures / materials, runway slope, taxiways, taxiway signs, airport markings, lighting systems. Model all published gates, and parking spots. Database - Use multiple data providers to update all of the IAPs, new runways, remodeled airports, and new airports created since the release of FSX. In particular, several Chinese airports have opened up recently that are not modeled by the default FSX scenery. There are many other features that I'd like to see however the features listed above are some of the more commonly discussed features. I hope Microsoft Flight truly is a completely new product and not a mid-life upgrade to FSX.

I would like to see a long range business jet such as the Gulfstream 650 or Dassault Falcon 7X. With the ability to takeoff from shorter runways, a whole slew of point to point destinations would open up. Both aircraft offer a state of the art integrated avionic suite and I'm sure PMDG would do a great job modeling them.My second choice would be an Embraer E-Jet. The level of detail from PMDG is would offer is unmatched. Finally, I would love to see PMDG partner with other 3rd party Flight Sim vendors do develop the next generation PC flight sim.

Users of Flight Simulator should not have to rely on a 3rd party payware application to fix problems that should have been addressed by Microsoft. I hope this isn

Fantastic! I was pleasantly surprised to see what's in the works in the global scenery arena.

Runway slope and runway dropoffs would be great to see in FSX.Airports like Courchevel (LFLJ) and Madeira (LPMA) would be challenging to shoot approaches into with their unique features and weather effects as a result of their location.

I think that

Great post Peter. I just want to tack on to your list.1) Smooth weather transition from station to station. No more reliance on 3rd party software.2) Fix the transparent overcast or fog when flying above it.3) Model icing effects4) Model windshear5) Improve the turbulence model6) Model contaminated runways with different braking action.7) Make thunderstorms hazardous to aviators. In FS9, I fly right through them with no consequence. Include aircraft damage from hail, severe turbulence, possible engine flameout due to heavy water ingestion or a lightning strike. 8) Model color weather radar.9) Significant improvement to thunderstorm visuals. Realistic Cloud to cloud lightning as well as cloud to ground. The bigger the storm, the higher frequency of lightning strikes. Lets see those well defined anvil thunder heads.10) Add a larger variety of precipitation effects that

A timezone fix is long overdue in my opinion.

Keep in mind that bird strikes can vary in the level of damage to an aircraft. From no damage at all to a dent or even structural penetration.For those that do cause severe damage, it would be nice if they modeled system failures such as a hydraulic failure, fuel leak, engine failure, pressurization loss, etc.

During a flight from Moshoeshoe, Lesotho to Guarulhos, Brazil, I encountered a DET FIRE / OHT alert on the number 4 engine. After reviewing the QRH, I elected to continue to SBGR. I made my decision based on the following:

Is anyone having the following problem?If I

Same here. I downloaded the patch on the 28th before it was pulled. When I ran it, it wasn't able to patch so I uninstalled the entire package. Note that I had the Interim_UpdateV1R2 installed initially. I did a clean install then applied the new patch today. Still crashes.

The one bug/enhancement I'd like to see fixed in FS10 is the weather model.

I found an archived news release about FS2004 on Microsoft's site dated 14FEB03. If we don't have an announcement within the next few weeks, I suspect that it will be a November 2005 release.

Correct me if I'm wrong but in order to accomplish the above task, it's going to require several hundred dollars in software and a degree in computer science?

Can you convert several BGL files at the same time? I tried this command:bglxml -tmf *.bgl saem.xmlIt didn't work.Thanks for your help.