s0170068

Dear PMDG, fellow simmers, I was wandering if a future SP could include the option to modify the look/functionality of the NAVBOX/radio equipment on the center pedestal in the newer format (as indicated in the picture attached >737NG Pedestal). Newest models delivered by Boeing often come with these and I think they are a big improvement on the conventional dials. Why? As an ATPL-student pilot I'm not only using this great addon in my spare time to train ops/procedures/systems while flying on IVAO, I also like the "RAW-data" flying part were you turn the automatics/FD off and fly the approach as indicated on the chart yourself. I just like challenging myself. It can sound stupid, but, this helped my while flying in the procedure trainer (A Diamond Twinstar 42 simulator at CAE Brussels). You need to use rules-of-thumb for anticipation, pitch/power values etc. to do this: "Attitude flying". One part that makes it rather difficult is the part were you need to switch more then 2 Navaids and radials at the same time... imagine you fly to the IAF via the STAR, use a couple of VOR on an in/outbound radial, afterwards you need to track another radial of another VOR before going to the FAF and intercept the LOC (again other frequency, which could be in STBY). In the JS4100, you can solve this more easily by switching from one V/L on the EFIS (Vor/Loc) to another after you properly setup all the courses and freq. in the boxes, you flip NAV1 and NAV2 and can have the LOC in standby and its proper inbound course in the background (fellow JS4100 users know what I mean),anyway... Of course I know that in the future we will fly probably only RNAV/GNSS approaches instead, that's a different story. Anyway... Every time you need to dial the frequencies for the set-up you are not focused on the Flying-part (Fly ! / Navigate / Communicate ...) as you are switching panels in the VC-panel to the pedestal, looking for the proper knob to dial. This newer panel makes these kind of operations easier, in my opinion. Cheers and good luck out there... aren't we all eager for the upcoming PMDG products?