2127 replies to this topic

[Tabs]

vdubbin, on 29 January 2011 - 10:37 PM, said:

Did anyone catch this...Quoted from Facebook."The PMDG 737NGX climbing out of KRNT on its first flight after manufacture - headed to KPAE and then on to KBFI for flight testing and delivery preparations."Sounds like to me they are headed for beta and release.Been waiting and checking the site nearly everyday since 2006.

Please don't read more into that - that is what happens to the real aircraft when they're built.  It does not mean we're about to release.  I've said over and over we'll inform you of the testing milestones when we reach them.

[Sodee]

Thanks for the update, looking very good! So excited.

[Chaos81]

rsrandazzo, on 29 January 2011 - 11:33 PM, said:

Each of the airplanes has its unique relief features included for both the flaps and the spoilers as appropriate.

What are "relief" features? Is that when you exceed a certain speed and the flaps/spoilers retract automatically?

[Thyone]

Chaos81, on 29 January 2011 - 11:36 PM, said:

What are "relief" features? Is that when you exceed a certain speed and the flaps/spoilers retract automatically?

Correct, for example: when you have flaps 40 set, and your speed increases above 171 knots (170 is the maximum IAS for F40), the Flap Load Relief will retract the flaps to F30. The Flap Lever will stay at F40, so when the speed decreases again below 166 knots, F40 will automatically be set again (FCOM 2 9.20.18)

[rsrandazzo]

AAfan, on 29 January 2011 - 08:24 PM, said:

I hope this better explains what I was trying to say, you can call me a 737 geek for even bothering but for some reason if flap flairings are not right, I always notice them

Ryan-What you are noticing is a result of the fact that we don't bevel the edge of the fairing as much as we could because it eats a massive number of polygons...Jason isn't around tonight (I think his wife took him hostage) but I am sure he'll look at it.  I wouldn't anticipate a change however, as the specs currently match the engineering, which matches the construction and rigging guides, etc etc...  We trust our documents more than we trust some guy with photoshop and an airliners.net addiction...

[Star Alliance]

Quote

Sounds like to me they are headed for beta and release.

There is no need to anticipate anything, it will only make the wait feel even longer - just wait for the words 'We're in BETA', then we can start the anticipation ;)

[737Dude]

yycvor, on 29 January 2011 - 04:13 PM, said:

You guys mentioned  the missing satellite antenna options in your screenshots.Are we talking Westjet/Jetblue style Live TV antenna? Or SWA style Wi-Fi?http://bajan.files.w...700_at_yul.jpeg

I think as Seen in one of the Previews on FB... It may be a SWA like one... Just a large non-aerodynamic bump.

[Chaos81]

Thyone, on 29 January 2011 - 11:44 PM, said:

Correct, for example: when you have flaps 40 set, and your speed increases above 171 knots (170 is the maximum IAS for F40), the Flap Load Relief will retract the flaps to F30. The Flap Lever will stay at F40, so when the speed decreases again below 166 knots, F40 will automatically be set again (FCOM 2 9.20.18)

I didn't realize the 737 had that. Thanks for the information, Peter.

[youngmd2@muohio.edu]

Wizz84, on 29 January 2011 - 05:51 PM, said:

great! thank you - i am sure you already seen the flying 101 livery - maybe its possible to do something pmdg style, like seeing through the gear doors and all the little details you want us to show. michael knittl

Maybe a maintenance mode or something? Being able to open service panels and such? I don't know.. just a thought.- Mat Young

[MrKen]

Hmmm, if only there were a way to coordinate a pool on the release date.  Winner gets the NGX and AoA training paid for by all the losers...Sounded like a good idea anyway!  I'm anxious to get my hands on this thing, but as far as you guys have gone already I don't mind waiting at all.  After it's done we'll all be glad PMDG took the extra time to make it as close to perfect as humanly possible.

[Tabs]

The SWA wifi dome is quite different - here it is, photographed by yours truly before I boarded this airplane PHX-BWI a few months ago:

[AirForceGuy757]

Tabs, on 30 January 2011 - 01:05 AM, said:

The SWA wifi dome is quite different - here it is, photographed by yours truly before I boarded this airplane PHX-BWI a few months ago:http://dl.dropbox.co...441/swaNG-6.jpg

Oh yes thats my favorite airline, livery and airplane lol. Also i didn't know Southwest had WiFi interesting...

[vdubbin]

Tabs, on 29 January 2011 - 11:34 PM, said:

Please don't read more into that - that is what happens to the real aircraft when they're built.  It does not mean we're about to release.  I've said over and over we'll inform you of the testing milestones when we reach them.

I'm sorry I wasn't given the impression that i thought beta and release was soon. Just an interesting choice of words. I couldn't help but think of beta when the caption mentioned flight test.  I know better not to ask about release dates and prices.  

[Tabs]

AirForceGuy20, on 30 January 2011 - 01:07 AM, said:

Oh yes thats my favorite airline, livery and airplane lol.http://static.avsim..../Big%20Grin.gif Also i didn't know Southwest had WiFi interesting...http://static.avsim....lt/Thinking.gif

They'll have it fleet-wide by the end of 2012.  It's very cool being able to watch your own flight on flightaware and stuff. (though it's good for your geography skills trying to figure out where you are just based on looking out the window too!)

[AirForceGuy757]

Tabs, on 30 January 2011 - 01:16 AM, said:

They'll have it fleet-wide by the end of 2012.  It's very cool being able to watch your own flight on flightaware and stuff. (though it's good for your geography skills trying to figure out where you are just based on looking out the window too!)

Hmm that's interesting, I haven't flown in a while, maybe when i take vacation i'll fly southwest and see all these things there bringing to the table. Well actually i flew on Alaska airlines and it was a 737-800 no WiFi or anything special in it, that was back in october though.

[vdubbin]

AirForceGuy20, on 30 January 2011 - 01:07 AM, said:

Oh yes thats my favorite airline, livery and airplane lol.

+1 I hope someone makes an attempt with the different state flags. Maybe I'll have to learn how to paint.I wouldn't mind seeing this one either![attachment=25354:SI One.jpg]

[AirForceGuy757]

vdubbin, on 30 January 2011 - 01:26 AM, said:

+1 I hope someone makes an attempt with the different state flags. Maybe I'll have to learn how to paint.I wouldn't mind seeing this one either! SI One.jpg

I seen that one too, i like all of Southwest livery's, Westjet and Alaska airlines too, still though Southwest is my favorite.

[Tabs]

Can't guarantee we'll do the state flags ones, but I'm sure someone will, whether it's user-made or done by someone like McPhat.  A complete SWA pack would actually be a great product for them I'm betting.

[rsrandazzo]

Captains-Okay- as promised here is another preview image selection showing the same airplane, the 737-800 with winglets during test flying out of KRNT...Ryan Forgot To Roll Out The Red Carpet For You:This image set was taken by Ryan (which is why the scenery will look much nicer in this set!) and he was using EZ DOK to give you some perspectives that are different from those I showed you in the earlier segment...  (I want to note here that the guys at Flight1 were kind enough to provide us with licenses for EZ DOK specifically for this purpose...  Thanks, guys!)Okay so lets take a good look at the entryway before the ship heads off on the test flight.  This image gives you a pretty decent view of the detail work around the windows, the nose, and the probes.  A few folks noted in the earlier photos that our AoA indexers are properly animated, and you can see some of that here.The door animation on this airplane is something we'll have to put into video for you.  Airliner plug-type doors have a unique way of entering and exiting the fuselage, and that is modeled here with the unique features of the door hinge.  Even the door handles and the handle grip flap cover is modeled in 3D and moves correctly during opening and closing of the door.  I'll see if we can't scare up a video of the doors, we think you'll be impressed!Not Your Mother's Hoover...Next up we have a little detail view of the wing root and the engine.  You'll note the detailing around the engine hub, the fan blades and the probes.  The engine "guts" are modeled in 3D, and the animation has been tweaked endlessly to give a nice, realistic animation.  When the fans are stationary, you can see right into the hot and cold sections, just as you would if you stood in front of the airplane.From this vantage point you can see the flight test drogue hanging from the top of the vertical stabilizer...  You can also see a bit of the surface of the skin in this image...Tail Detail...Speaking of the vertical stabilizer, this image gives you a good view of the horizontal, vertical and the details such as the vortex generators, rain gutters above the doors and various other fin details.  Once again, you can see fine detail in the skin surface of the vertical stabilizer that is brought out by the lighting in this image.You can see some of the 3D detail surrounding the door handle as well...At Least He's Inside The Lines...Seems no matter how many times we tell Ryan to stay off the wing, he just continues to ignore...  Fortunately he is not treading on the NO STEP areas of the wing.   This vantage point gives you a good view toward the nose and you can see the details of the engine cowling, the entry doorand of course the surface of the wing!Please Keep Your Hands ClearThis image gives you some close up and personal detail with the engine hot section.  If you look up under the leading edge devices, you will see that they are modeled in detail, including the actuators, the structural members.Take a look inside the flap actuators on the trailing edge, and you will see why there are dire warnings all over the flight manuals instructing the crew not to move the flap handle unless/until cleared to do so by ground crew...  There are plenty of places in there where you could lose a finger, or worse!In this image you can see just a tiny bit of the spoilers (which are deployed in this image) and the actuators that control them.  You can also see the detail that was put even into the underside of the landing gear fairing door just above the outboard left wheel...The Last Thing the Bird Saw...This view gives you a great macro detail showing the details of the wings, leading edge devices, engine intakes and the shape and finish of the fuselage surface.  A significant amount of work was invested into making sure that this airplane would maintain its detail and visual quality, even when viewed in close like this!The spoilers on this airplane are configured as the standard package, but if you like you can elect to configure your airplane with the Short Field Package option via the FMS.  This will give you a package of performance enhancing options for those who require them.I'll try to pull a video showing you the spoiler behaviors on deploy and retract as well.  The animation is very convincing, and matches up perfectly with the behavior of the airplane.Gratuitous Wing View...This image shows the detail level and visual quality of the wing as seen from the pre-assigned FSX cabinview location.  There has been a few questions about whether or not this airplane will come with a cabin.  The answer is "sort of."  You will recall that we provided a low detail cabin with the JS4100 which was essentially the interior cabin model that you see when looking through the airplane windows.  The same will be done with the NGX...  So while not as detailed as a "virtual cabin" it will allow you to do some viewing with the benefit of cabin window frame and seat structure...  It won't be as detailed as the exterior or the virtual cockpit, as we simply don't want to put the resources inside the airplane that way...A note here on scenery is due:  I mentioned in the earlier update that Orbx has partnered with PMDG so that we can provide some magnificent looking backdrops to preview images of the NGX products and the 777s...  The images in the earlier preview thread were not set up optimally to highlight how amazing the Orbx FTX-Pacific Northwest scenery really is- but this image gives you a better idea...  I'm not sure how many of you have flown in/out of the Seattle area, but this view is nearly photographic in terms of the scenery quality...We'll be showcasing more areas in/around the FTX PNW and other Orbx sceneries as we near release!It should be KPAE-fully obvious...One of the first stops for any NG just out of production is KPAE, Paine Field.  There's a little company there that makes airplanes...  You may have heard of them...We'd like to dedicate this shot to the many fine folks at Boeing who have helped to make the upcoming NGX one of the finest PMDG products ever produced...  For those of you who like to fly out of KPAE, you will also notice how much nicer the airport becomes with the FTX PNW package...   Turning Final...Turning downwind for the landing at KPAE, this image gives you a tremendous amount of detail on the underside of the leading edge devices, as well as some hints on the lighting configuration.Short Final for 16R...On final at the end of another flight test...  Each one brings the airplane closer to completion.One detail that you can ALMOST see in this image if you lean in really close to the screen, is the cabin outflow valve...  Like just about everything else on the airplane, we have put an exhaustive amount of effort into simulating the outflow valve behavior.  The pressurization model in the NGX is about as realistic as any yet seen in the FS world.  Pressurization on this airplane is not done by simply "fudging some numbers" so things look like they are operating...  We have a full simulation that takes into account the volumetrics of the fuselage, the amount of air added to the fuselage, the expected air volume leak rate based on current differential pressure, and of course the outflow volume rate at the valve.  All of this information is used to compute cabin temperature change rates, air volume inside the cabin and the resultant pressure level, and its impact on secondary factors such as the natural leak rates around the door seals.  As you climb and descend, the outflow valve moves to modulate the amount of air allowed to escape the cabin, thus resulting in realistic pressure changes that are indicated on the pressurization gauges in the cockpit...This allows us to accurately simulate the entire pressurization cycle, including explosive decompression for those who are so inclined...   We are even able to correctly simulate a ground static leak check on the airframe precisely as called for in the aircraft acceptance guidelines.  Pretty cool, eh?The "internal PMDG humor" on this particular system is that 99% of you will never touch it beyond setting your cruise/landing altitudes...  yet it will soldier on, working perfectly for thousands of flights...  just as it should be!You folks are going to love this airplane...  The complexity is there for people who want to use it- but she remains a marvelously well balanced and true flying airplane.

[AirForceGuy757]

Tabs, on 30 January 2011 - 01:46 AM, said:

Can't guarantee we'll do the state flags ones, but I'm sure someone will, whether it's user-made or done by someone like McPhat.  A complete SWA pack would actually be a great product for them I'm betting.

Are you doing the canyon blue livery one and classic?

[pride545]

barfra1995, on 29 January 2011 - 03:52 PM, said:

I Randazzo is a pilot so he can correct me, but I think that the CBs would be a waste of time because in normal flight operations and even the majority in-flight emergencies don't require any CB operation. Actually I never read nor heard about any flight situation that required moving some CB out of normal position.Wing flex is a kind of wing animation and everybody want to have this in the plane. The realistic engine fan rotation is a kind of engine animation that matters for many people, including myself. Fuselage animations... I don't recall any so let's remove that .

Well, you should fly a real KC135 then. There is a procedure to pull circuit breakers, now you have heard of one!

[WTE_Pharoah]

looks good. what does this mean though "I mentioned in the earlier update that Orbx has partnered with PMDG so that we can provide some magnificent looking backdrops to preview images of the NGX products and the 777s (italics added)." I'm assuming you're talking about the PMDG 777...

[fozzy]

I'd say it doesn't mean more than written.. WHEN screenshots will be made for the pmdg 777 they will be done using Orbx scenery.

[737Dude]

Thanks for the update! Cant wait for Alaska Flight 32 from SEA-MSP!!!! :D-Chris

[Tabs]

WTE_Pharoah, on 30 January 2011 - 02:05 AM, said:

looks good. what does this mean though "I mentioned in the earlier update that Orbx has partnered with PMDG so that we can provide some magnificent looking backdrops to preview images of the NGX products and the 777s (italics added)." I'm assuming you're talking about the PMDG 777...

RSR is just saying that we intend to use the ORBX scenery (and a couple others from different regions of the world we'll be using) as backdrops for our screenshots - we want to try to help promote the amazing work these scenery developers are doing, it adds hugely to the immersion and they sometimes don't get the attention we feel they deserve vs. aircraft.  Both are important as our previews will show!I should add too that I'm using REX2 Overdrive in these shots (sky textures, water, and a whole host of cool improvements to the sim) - Tim is a friend and you should check it out if you don't have it already!