PMDG recently issued a major update to their Boeing 737 lineup for Microsoft Flight Simulator, bringing the new navigation database format from the 777, additional Ultimate Flight Tablet features, and a reworked flight model.
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What is In the Update?:
The crown jewel here is that we have updated the airplane to use Navigraph's modern NavData suite. This is an upgrade that allows the airplane to use the Navigraph database format that is based mostly upon the ARINC424 standard rather than the much older format we have used in our products for many years. Many of you will recognize that the 777-300ER was delivered to you with this capability already installed and this update fulfills our promise to our 737 drivers that we would bring you this capability as well.
The PMDG 737 series are now able to read, render and fly all leg types defined in modern navdata in precisely the same manner the actual airplane will fly them. Combined with improvements to the control logic and flight model, you now have a tremendous amount of new capability for operating your 737 on complex arrivals, departures and approaches.
Added to 737 Airplane:
- Improved IRU drift model
- Minimum IAS improvement for VNAV CRZ
- Improved taxi handling using lessons learned from 777 development.
- Corrected VOR R needle pointer drawing.
- Improved flight control handling/feel for all 737 types using PMDG's "fly-by-software" modeling suite.
- Improved control feel in ground effect for all 737 types.
- Improved TAS / Groundspeed / Wind vector / Position Trend Vector smoothing model.
- Robustification of protections against failed tail-number read-in during initialization.
- Improved terrain data display brightness interplay.
- Converted 737 series to use Navigraph's modern database format (ARINC 424 emulated)
- Save/Load functionality improved to protocol v6 (does not affect simBrief but old saved flight plans are not compatible with this build or later)
- Significant lateral path improvements to leverage navdata capabilities.
- AFDS roll mode control logic improved to leverage lateral path improvements.
- Significant vertical path computation improvements yielded from lateral path updates.
- AFDS vertical mode control logic improved to leverage vertical path improvements.
- Yaw damp logic improved.
- VNAV approach control logic improved.
- Missed approach lateral path marker with MAP fix.
- Removal of stale and deprecated assets and capabilities related to old navdata format.
- Implementation of Asobo weather "radar" returns on appropriate displays. (shows Asobo layer, is not actually radar)
- LNAV auto-arming to provide lateral guidance for a go-around from a ground based approach (ILS/LOC)
Added to 737 Tablet:
- You can now control ground connections including, Ground Power and Terminal Power Units, Air conditioning and Air start units.
- You can visualize and interact with all of the ground vehicles for the 600,700,800,900 and all their sub-variants.
- Fuel Trucks, Cabin Cleaning, Stairs, Galley Trucks, Potable Water, Lav Trucks, and all important SUVs for your BBJ and BBJ2 VIPs.
- You can perform common maintenance tasks including:
- Refilling Hydraulic Fluid, Refilling Engine Oil, Servicing Fire Bottles, Servicing O2 Bottles, Servicing the SCU Motor, Replacing Tires and Brakes, Cooling Brakes, Resetting of the Engine EGTs, and Re-connect of IDGs.
- Visualize and interact with every door on the Aircraft, including emergency doors over the wings in pax variants.
- Manage Auto Cruise and step climbing through the status bar.
- Navigraph Nav-data (AIRAC Cycles) can now be updated directly on the tablet, whether you are on PC or Xbox, enabling updated procedures for all related tasks in the aircraft.
- All of the bugs already fixed in the 777 version of the tablet are now included in your 737 purchase.
The developers recommend updating their Operations Center before updating the aircraft, or it may not apply the update correctly. The official instructions are below:
IMPORTANT UPDATE INSTRUCTIONS:
This is a complicated update, and while we have done everything possible to keep the process simple for you, we do need you to follow very specific instructions prior to updating:
First, lets update the Operations Center, because this is required in order for the 737 update to succeed:
1) Launch the PMDG Operations Center.
2) Click on the FILE menu at the top, left.
3) Click UPDATE THIS APP and let the process run. (Alternately, you can click on NOTIFICATIONS and then UPDATE THIS APP. Either way the result is the same.)
4) After (and ONLY after) PMDG Operations Center has updated you will see v2.0.1.2186 on the top menu bar.
5) Now you are ready to update your product!
Next, lets update your 737!
A) Run the Operations Center (it should be running from step 5, above!)
B) Click AIRCRAFT AND LIVERIES, then PRODUCT UPDATES.
C) If the blue "Check Now" button is present, click on it.
D) Update your PMDG 737 installations one at a time.
The 737 lineup is available on PMDG.com and in the Marketplace, with prices ranging from $34.99 to $69.99 (variant-dependent).
Stay tuned to Threshold for more flight simulation news!
