The youngest siblings of the 737 family have seen some limelight on the PMDG Forum today with group chief executive Robert Randazzo announcing the release of the product’s first update post-launch.
A subsequent post published shortly after gives further insight into the next entry in the series, the 737-600.
Firstly though, the changes list for the -700. Randazzo describes the foremost changes: “[The update] comes with a number of changes and improvements, including updated models and associated textures, a significant update to the sound engine and dozens upon dozens of small tweaks, adjustments and improvements.”
Version 3.00.0020 of the PMDG 737-700 brings the following 69 changes:
- 0011282: [General – Documentation] Documentation – Remove mention of Keyboard command option in FMC until function restored. (hvanrensburg)
- 0011289: [External Model – Liveries] Decal Mapping Error on engine cowlings (jbrown)
- 0011336: [General – Documentation] Various Corrections in the Tutorial Flight Document (hvanrensburg)
- 0011360: [External Model – Geometry] Touchdown Landing Gear Effect reversed laterally. (jbrown)
- 0011327: [Systems – Electrical] External Airstairs should be allowed to receive power from ship batteries. (hvanrensburg)
- 0011280: [Virtual Cockpit – Geometry/Textures] Various geometry and texture gaps reported by one very eagle-eyed customer. (vscimone)
- 0011341: [Virtual Cockpit – Geometry/Textures] OFF text on GEN Panel incorrect (vscimone)
- 0011354: [Virtual Cockpit – Geometry/Textures] Overhead Panel separation lines missing (vscimone)
- 0011368: [External Model – Geometry] plug door pressure relief flaps appear doubled in some instances. (jbrown)
- 0011307: [Virtual Cockpit – View Presets] View Preset zooms need adjusting (jbrown)
- 0011249: [External Model – Geometry] N1 Disk transparent, when Rain/Snow WX (jbrown)
- 0011292: [Virtual Cockpit – Geometry/Textures] Missing textures along base of windshield frame covers (vscimone)
- 0011276: [Virtual Cockpit – Geometry/Textures] Triangle punch out in area over master caution creates a light gap in panel (vscimone)
- 0011251: [General – Ground Operations] Fuel truck connecting function and transparent fuel panel when fueling door is open. (hvanrensburg)
- 0011227: [AFDS – General] AP constantly micro trimming (emvaos)
- 0011232: [External Model – Geometry] PIP options incorrectly connected to selection of LED lights option. (jbrown)
- 0010547: [Sounds – External] External engine start bleed hiss sound loops incorrectly and causes other start sound layers to fail. (acholakian)
- 0011350: [Virtual Cockpit – Geometry/Textures] VC Yoke clipping and backfacing geometry needs attention (vscimone)
- 0011283: [General – Suggested/Missing Features] Displays should be able to function as pop-up 2D displays (vscimone)
- 0011225: [Virtual Cockpit – Geometry/Textures] Trim wheel animation fails under certain circumstances (not related to rotation speed) (vscimone)
- 0011312: [Virtual Cockpit – Functionality/Click-Spots] Alternate gear extention cords can be pulled throught the closed Alternate Gear door (abashkatov)
- 0011194: [Main Panel – PFD] “Single CH” indication has green frame instead of yellow (abashkatov)
- 0011302: [Main Panel – Aural/Visual Warning Systems] A/P disconnect light not operational when disconnection A/P (abashkatov)
- 0011352: [Virtual Cockpit – Functionality/Click-Spots] LED Landing Lights not turning ON with clickspot (vscimone)
- 0011325: [Virtual Cockpit – Functionality/Click-Spots] Flickering on various Instruments (vscimone)
- 0011340: [Virtual Cockpit – Geometry/Textures] Missing Arrows Ovd and CB Light selector (vscimone)
- 0011339: [Virtual Cockpit – Geometry/Textures] ALT CUTOUT missing part of a letter (vscimone)
- 0011361: [Virtual Cockpit – Geometry/Textures] Pedestal ADF panel no backlighting. (hvanrensburg)
- 0011338: [Virtual Cockpit – Geometry/Textures] CVR Light Plate missing text (vscimone)
- 0011358: [Virtual Cockpit – Geometry/Textures] Screw alignment rudder floor panels (vscimone)
- 0011367: [Virtual Cockpit – Functionality/Click-Spots] Wrong animation on Captain FMC Key (vscimone)
- 0011369: [FMS – Route/Legs Pages] RTE page should show in the scratchpad the airport entered in REF page (emvaos)
- 0011326: [General – Unsure] Loading Approach State on BDSF load the planes with blank screens and yoke hard over (rsrandazzo)
- 0011366: [Systems – Electrical] Provisiom for APU auto shutdown if loading a panel state with APU online after loading C && D (emvaos)
- 0011273: [Docs – Other General Observations] Typo in readme included with the Release candidate (rsrandazzo)
- 0011279: [General – Documentation] Incorrect work folder paths in Intro (hvanrensburg)
- 0011286: [General – Ground Operations] Air Start Unit is able to be called when Stairs 1L is connected (hvanrensburg)
- 0011304: [General – Documentation] Introduction document Amendment – TO/GA (hvanrensburg)
- 0011308: [General – Documentation] Introduction Document references to P3D license (hvanrensburg)
- 0011319: [General – Unsure] ILS DME readout not correct (emvaos)
- 0011353: [Docs – Need to Tell Customers This] Introduction refers to cabin light page in FMC. (hvanrensburg)
- 0011357: [FREEZES – All Types] Sim freeze when using EBBR CIV5C (emvaos)
- 0011315: [External Model – Geometry] Texture Mapping Issues MSFS 737-700 (jbrown)
- 0011356: [External Model – Geometry] APU exhaust textures needs touch up (jbrown)
- 0011363: [External Model – Geometry] Wing gap during flexing (jbrown)
- 0011364: [External Model – Geometry] FWD Cargo hold gap (jbrown)
- 0011343: [Systems – Flight Controls] Reduced AoA for stick shaker onset (emvaos)
- 0011248: [FMS/AFDS – LNAV] Provision for successive DTO’s and adding airways to start of STAR after STAR is defined(!!) (emvaos)
- 0011196: [Main Panel – Aural/Visual Warning Systems] Below G/S warning should be inhibited below 200ft RA (abashkatov)
- 0011051: [General – Unsure] Pane state save – When master lights switch is saved in DIM, lights still load BRT (abashkatov)
- 0011337: [General – Documentation] Erroneous reference to 2D popup in tutorial (hvanrensburg)
- 0011313: [External Model – Geometry] Need thumbnail for MSFS “content manager” screen (cbpowell)
- 0011301: [External Model – Geometry] BBJ SSW – Missing tailpipe component R ENG (jbrown)
- 0011291: [External Model – Geometry] Texture gaps engines (jbrown)
- 0011266: [External Model – Liveries] negative pressure relief valve cut (jbrown)
- 0011267: [External Model – Liveries] Strange texture on the left MLG door. (jbrown)
- 0011076: [External Model – Liveries] Engine Texture Mapping Anomaly (jbrown)
- 0011274: [AFDS – Roll Modes] Disable mouse wheel scrolling for HDG SEL Bank Angle limiter (hvanrensburg)
- 0011277: [General – Documentation] Sound settings – Default volume levels and Active Spatial Sound should be set to NO in the documentation (hvanrensburg)
- 0011270: [FMS – Setup/Options Pages] DISPLAY Options page 9/9 FUEL/CTRLS empty (abashkatov)
- 0011263: [FMS – Setup/Options Pages] Change display order to options back to original (hvanrensburg)
- 0011252: [General – Ground Operations] Air Start Unit colliding with Airstairs (hvanrensburg)
- 0010749: [Sounds – Internal/Cockpit] Trim sound keeps getting triggered inflight (emvaos)
- 0010840: [General – Engines] FS Engine takes way too long to start at high altitude (emvaos)
- 0011216: [External Model – Liveries] Delta Livery Blue is too light (psterling)
- 0011228: [External Model – Liveries] Fuse3 Mapping Anomaly (jbrown)
- 0011180: [Sounds – External] Hydraulic Pump sound missing (acholakian)
- 0011328: [Virtual Cockpit – Functionality/Click-Spots] Clickspots on FMC do not align correctly after change to PMDG mouse logic (hvanrensburg)
- 0010678: [General – Engines] MSFS side – Engines take too long to stabilise to idle after engine start (emvaos)
Updating the product can be done via the PMDG Operations Center. Randazzo notes that some may experience some sound issues on the first post-update run of the 737. “We have traced this to the manner in which the sim caches sounds, and it can be easily corrected by simply running the airplane, then exiting back to the world menu and launching the aircraft a second time. For reasons we don’t yet understand, the sim does not update the cache on the first run, but it does on the second launch and from then on you will be fine without further need to tinker.”
Turning to the -600 variant of the 737, the ‘thoroughbred’ Baby Boeing is running approximately seven to nine days behind the schedule dictated by PMDG in the lead up to the first variant’s release.
Robert Randazzo maintains that due to some ‘slop’ accounted for in the release schedule, the -600 ‘may still roll out on time’ later this month, and that any delay on the little brother will not have any effect on the 737-800, slated for early August.
The post then launches into detailing a number of new advancements coming both for the -600 and 737 series as a whole.
“For a few years now, we have been at work conducting a full rebuild on the lateral and vertical path modeling capability for the PMDG FMS used by all of our Boeing airliners.”
“The good news is that we are preparing to insert it into testing within the PMDG 737 for MSFS, and it will then roll out to you in the forum of a free update. This modern path modeling has been something we have been building toward for some time and it will dramatically improve the accuracy of how PMDG airliners move through the sky in a 3D pathway
“Concurrent with the Lateral/Vertical Path Module we have been working to build out a proper flight director roll and pitch module based upon input from some of the industry’s leading flight control logic engineers and our in house mathematical wizard.
“This has been under initial iteration testing and will also roll out as a free update shortly.”
On the topic of the Universal Flight Tablet, the team remains relatively tight-lipped on progress, with Randazzo suspecting that he may have given away too much information in last week’s update. Today, he offers a few words to the effect of “soon”.
Other miscellaneous topics covered include another reminder to customers of the 737 NGXu who purchased in November and December 2019 that a $99.99 credit remains available for their use on the PMDG webstore and that another update for the 737 will be due ‘next week’.
See the source posts for this article on the PMDG Forum.