Today acclaimed third-party developer PMDG launched a major update for its popular Boeing 737 line for Microsoft Flight Simulator.
In a post on the developer’s official forums, PMDG CEO Robert Randazzo defined the update as the “most significant” received by the aircraft lineup since its release over two years ago.
It’s worth mentioning that the update is available only for those who have purchased one or more of the developer’s 737s on the PMDG website. If you have purchased the aircraft on the official marketplace, you’ll have to wait for Microsoft to certify it. Of course, this includes the Xbox version.
Randazzo mentions that official marketplace customers should get the update either on October 31 or on November 7.
Going into the nitty gritty the update backports to the 737s many of the innovations PMDG included into the newer 777-300ER released earlier this year.
This includes a relevant navdata modernization that uses Navigraph’s database format based mostly upon the ARINC424 standard instead of the older format that PMDG has used for a long time.
As a result, the 737s are now able to read, render, and fly all leg types defined in modern navdata in the same way the real aircraft would. On top of that, there are big improvements to the flight model and the autopilot logic, on top of new features for the EFB tablet.
Here are the full patch notes for your perusal.
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.
It’s worth mentioning that those who have the aircraft already installed will need to update PMDG Operation Center to version v2.0.1.2186 before trying to update the aircraft, otherwise the process will fail.
After updating the Operation Center you’ll be able to safely update all of your 737 products to v3.0.105.
PMDG has four 737 models available. The -600, -700, -800, and -900. The developer expects to update them so that they’re fully compatible with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 when the time comes.
Microsoft Flight Simulator is currently available for PC and Xbox Series X|S.
Speaking of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, which will release on November 18 for PC and Xbox Series X|S. You can enjoy our hands-on preview with plenty of interesting details for your perusal.
You can also watch our interview with Head of MSFS Jorg Neumann and Asobo CEO Sebastian Wloch, another with Asobo CCO David Dedeine, and one featuring Chris Burnett of Working Title and Brandon Yaeger of Got Friends about their work on MSFS 2024.
Last, but not least, you can take a look at our A-10 flight through the Grand Canyon, our first look at the extensive pilot customization, another at the first mission of the Career Mode, a video featuring the new walk-around move showing off a Boeing 737 MAX up close and personal, and a challenge with the A-10 over the Blue Ridge Mountains.