Third-party developers released new assets, details, and development updates about upcoming add-ons for Microsoft Flight Simulator.
We start with PMDG; which provided screenshots and information about the upcoming Boeing 737. We learn that the first to release will be the 737-700 including passenger, converted freighter, and business jet versions.
If all goes to plan, the next version will come approximately six weeks later, followed by the remaining ones down the line. The specific order has not been decided, but the developer is leaning toward releasing the 737-800 second, followed by 600 or 900.
We also get (still relatively vague) pricing information mentioning that the versions will be sold separately to make the product line “more approachable to more users. No specific prices were announced for now.
“We haven’t given you much to look at other than the 737-700 in a standard passenger configuration, so I thought it might be nice to show you a few of the other configurations that you will be getting with your PMDG 737 for MSFS.
We shall split up a bit between hot and cold, just for fun.
DISCLAIMER: I am the world’s worst screenshot taker… It is a holiday weekend here in the States and it is also Jason’s anniversary, so I didn’t have Vin or Jason to call on for professional help. Laugh if you must.
First up, we have the 737-700 BCF, sitting on a snow covered runway in Chicago. This model is based upon the specifications for the actual airplane, and gives you working cargo doors, both main deck and below deck cargo. With the ground equipment, you can correctly position the loader and you will also be able to explore the cargo main deck of the airplane if you choose. I am planning to feature a bit of that in an upcoming video presentation.
The winglet styles offered (on the normal pax body, the BCF and the BBJ) will mirror the options made available to purchasers in the market today. Personally I haven’t caught the scimitar winglet bug, so I tend to set mine up with the regluar blended winglet you see here.
The BCF airplane comes with the proper changes to the flight deck, including main deck cargo fire detection/indication and suppression, as well as appropriate ground equipment for a cargo airplane.
(Someone will ask, so: The ground equipment options we provide are just that: Options. You can turn them on/off at your leisure.)
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Next up with have the BBJ baking on the ramp in Beautiful Sunny Exuma, Bahamas. (A wonderful place if you ever get a chance to visit!)
The BBJ, just like it’s passenger and BCF cousins comes with a full suite of ground vehicles, including a set of VIP suburbans to whisk your VIP passengers to and from the airplane in style. This airplane comes with it’s own unique cabin, which has been upgraded rather dramatically to account for the increased texture overhead we get with MSFS. In addition, using the view tools you can get a nice walk-through effect in the cabin which we will showcase for you at some point here soon- I hope.
Along with the VIP interior, the BBJ comes with it’s own installed mobile boarding stairs to door 1L (you can actually turn this option on for the other airplanes if you like, up to you!) or you can use the standard ground handling equipment to provide passenger access to the airplane.
This view angle gives you a great glimpse of the reflective qualities of the painted surfaces and how they reflect light. When viewing these airplanes from the outside while at cruise altitude, we are getting incredibly close to the point where it is sometimes hard to tell the difference between a well staged screen capture and a photograph. Obviously these two random screen grabs from me aren’t well staged- but I think Jason and Vin could probably fool you if they took the time to set up the lighting.
Speaking of Jason: I was going to give you a few images of the upgraded interiors on all three airplanes, but I wanted to be sure Jason is okay with me doing that before we let you back there. We have long placed our entire focus on the cockpit, but with this product line we are adding a bit more attention to the cabin than we have traditionally. It won’t be to the same degree of detail as the cockpits, obviously- but it is the start of us moving in the direction of high detail cabin interiors. It make take us some time to get all the way there- but hey- you have to start someplace.
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Let’s Talk About Pricing:
So one of the key components in the pending PMDG 737 for MSFS release process is that we are changing our traditional layout for how you purchase airplane addons from PMDG. In the past, we have marketed each airplane type with a base package, and then added airframes by releasing expansion packages. Effective with the 737 product line for MSFS, that paradigm will go away because we want to lower the bar of entry for folks who perhaps, just want one type of 737 and not ALL of them. If, for example, you wanted to fly the 700 series airplane in our historic product line, you would need to purchase our base package and then add the 600/700 expansion package to it. If you wanted to add the 700BCF, you’d also need to add that package, with each additional package giving you some airframes that perhaps you didn’t want.Effective with this new product line, we are going to break them into body types so that you can purchase just the body type you want. For example, our initial release will focus on the 700 series airframe. It will come with the 737-700 body in a couple of iterations and winglet options. It will also come with the 737-700BCF (also with winglet options) and of course the venerable BBJ with winglet options and the whole fuel tank configuration range.
Then we will offer a similar roundup for the 737-800 series. It will include the 800 (in various formats) the 800BCF and the BBJ2. We will then treat the 600 and 900s similarly, grouping nearly all of the possible NG dirvations together by body style and offering them individually rather than as a base-package/expansion package combination.
Why do this?
Easy. The MSFS market is an enormous marketplace, which we feel allows us to shift our product pricing point to make it far more approachable for far more users, because if all you really want is a 737-600 to fly your Janet flights out of KLAS to Area 51- we would like you to be able to make the decision to purchase just that airplane as it suits you. If you then joined a VA that operates some cool flights in the 800BCF, then you can come back for just the 800 series, and you will still have spent less than you would have under our old pricing.
Pricing points will be announced a bit later (they haven’t been finalized, I’m not being cagey- i just really don’t know!) as well as a bit more clarity on what airplanes will be included in each package. (There are a few oddballers such as fire-fighting airplanes, military derivatives, etc that we need to figure out how we would fit in… they won’t likely be in the initial batches, but perhaps get added later as updates? we’ll see…)
Overall, our goal is to make the product line more approachable to more users.
We anticipate about 6 weeks lag time between each release, with the 700 series being first. We haven’t determined the final order for the remainder, as there are a few moving parts still to be nailed down. Once we have those sorted the release order will flow naturally from that. (We are leaning to the 800 because we know that is one you guys really want!)”
Next is the de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter by Aerosoft, which got the official trailer and a video featuring its final sounds ahead of its release on PC on January 19. We already know that the Xbox version will come at a later date.
We then get an update from Ouroboros, which released new screenshots and details of its upcoming freeware Embraer E170.
To follow the developer’s progress, you can check out its Discord server and brand new website.
- SDK
- Electrical System Tweaked
- Fuel System Tweaked
- Engine Configuration adjusted for Automatic Ignition controls between 7%-50% N2
- Main Panel + PFD Dimmer Pot(s)
- MFD Dimmer Pot(s)
- EICAS Dimmer Pot
- Overhead
- APU Panel and system Complete
- Fuel Panel Complete
- Anti-Ice & Defroster panel Complete
- Electrical panel WIP
- Autopilot
- Autopilot Master Switch Complete
- Heading Hold Master & Bug Complete
- Altitude Hold Master & Bug Complete
- Flight level change button Complete
- Barometric adjusters Complete
- Lateral Navigation Mode hold Complete
- Yaw Damper Complete
- Navigation Source selector Complete
- Course knob for nav 1 & 2 Complete
- Flight Director Switches Complete
- Pedestal
- Spoilers bug fixed
- Ignition Switches Complete
- Stop/Run/Start switches Complete
- INTERIOR
- Cockpit models adjusted
- Some animations re-done
- New Object data shared lowering the tricount further
- Pending new models and UV maps (Remodels on the way for multiple cockpit items)
- #EXTERIOR
- More shading fixes and more on the way!
- #DISPLAYS
- PFD, EICAS, MFD, MCDU, Clock, bkp AHRS all to be shown off in later development updates
Last, but not least, Terrainy released its roadmap for the first half of 2022, including three new airports.
#1 Van’s RV-8 We know you have been waiting a while for this Aircraft, and so have we. Finally we are coming towards the end of the development process and are excited to be finally able to share with you more preview Images (and maybe some videos) as time goes on. We are taking the time to add more interactive features as well as perfect the flight model with the help of the Van’s RV-8 community.
#2 Speck-Fehraltorf LSZKA sister airport to our already released Hausen Am Albis LSZN, Speck-Fehraltorf is an exciting grass strip south of Zurich. Many events are hosted at this little airport, from glider days, to cookouts, to RC events and more! Its beautiful surrounding scenery makes it the perfect place to start your gliding experience or practice your skills.
#3 Zakynthos LGZA Zakynthos is the next in the lineup of Greek Island Airports and can be found on the Ionian sea. A beautiful green island, it offers a stunning approach and many incredible views. A very popular holiday destination, airlines such as Ryanair, WizzAir and Easyjet have many scheduled flights from all over Europe for you to enjoy.
#4 Syros LGSO Syros is a small picturesque island south of Athens. Here you will be able to enjoy beautiful views of the Aegean while approaching a small island airport. With the city of Ermoupoli not even 1 mile off the end of the runway, you will experience the true essence of the Cyclades.
