Hey all,
We’ve just learned that this is 777 Release Week! This means that the public will be getting their hands on the 777 before you even realize it! It’s final approach, everyone!
This also means you can train on the 777 VERY soon. We’ve put an incredible amount of work into our 777 Training already, as we’ve already been working a year. It’s no doubt the best training we’ve ever done.
We’ll be wrapping up GroundWork quickly upon getting the aircraft, and FlightWork will soon follow. We’re talking only several weeks until you know all the systems, and you have your first flight under your belt.
You’ll be happy to know that our own Nick Collett is back, this time carrying an ATPL. He’ll be your FlightWork instructor-extraordinaire.
But, we just wanted to let you guys know that PMDG is very close to releasing their 777, and we are very close to releasing our 777 Training.
Incase you can’t see the post on Avsim, here is the full text:
Captains-
Welcome to release week for the PMDG 777-200LR/F!
We are in the process of tamping down some final details and cleaning up documentation and license text, all with an eye toward delivering the finest 777 simulation you have ever flown.
I want to give you a quick primer on what to expect during the week ahead, and also provide some firm warnings on on what NOT to expect- just so that we can keep everyone singing from the same sheet of music, as it were.
Here are the important things you will want to know:
1) We are currently working a dozen or so small items that will not prevent release.
2) We are currently evaluating one item that has the potential to hold up a release.
3) We are in a “day-to-day” decision making mode whereby we evaluate the fitness of the product and decide if we feel it is ready for release, or if we should continue to hold it for further review.
4) Right now, the “Circle Error Probable” (you mathematicians and fellow Cold War relics will understand that reference. B) )on release is about seven days wide, starting Wednesday morning.
5) Given #4 above, that tells me we are likely releasing during the coming weekend.
6) If ANYTHING pops up in testing that we think requires resolution prior to release, we will do so. Even if that means a significant delay… We evaluate such items based entirely in the risk that they negatively impact the usability of the product- so if the risk is high, we will hold… (I’ll come back and let you know if this happens, however!)If any of you ever SERIOUSLY believed that we are just being abusive when we tell you that we do not plan release dates- go back and read #4 and #5 again. We are within 9 days of finishing a highly complex aircraft simulation, and we STILL don’t know which day it will get released to you… This is because we release it “on condition” rather than simply putting a tack on the calendar and saying “this is when it goes out.”
Okay- so….
We WILL give you some warning… So there is no need to sit and hammer the CTRL+R on your browser. (Although we do love the enthusiasm! ahahahahahha)
During the next couple of days you may see the website go down for a few moments here and there. We are doing a bunch of testing, tweaking and tuning on the performance side. Additionally we are going to be making sales page updates, etc. In the past we have pushed all of those up to the server at release time, but this one may be a bit different- so if you suddenly see the 777 product sales page go live- don’t panic…
The product will be made available to you shortly after I win the release date contest that has been going on in the 777 forum. (I love a good competition… especially when I control the outcome! :ph34r: )
I had the good fortune to spend the weekend flying the 777 around to various points on the globe and I have to tell you that this is my favorite PMDG product ever… This airplane FEELS and ACTS like a serious airliner- and it is hard to beat that sense of purpose when you push off the gate headed for points beyond. One of our beta testers likened her to a cruise ship entering or leaving port- and the analogy really is spot on.
I think my favorite feature in this airplane thus far is the “cruise time acceleration.” Those of us with multiple real-world obligations that prevent 15hr long hauls can still enjoy them- because the airplane helps to smoothly and safely allow time acceleration so that I can fit a nice KSFO-EGLL segment into my sunday afternoon if I wish… (And to those who can put the entire real-time flight in: I eny you. LOL)
I have seen a few folks posit that the 777 is just a “big NGX.” What a misguided thought process that is… The 777 is a completely different bird- and the skills needed to master this airplane are completely different than those you used to succeed with the kid brother of this massive airplane.
Some folks have asked about performance: I am seeing very very good performance all around on this airplane- even better than what I see with the NGX- and significantly better than what I saw with the 400X.
Overall I think the team is really happy with what we have accomplished here- and we are very excited to get you all flying!
Alright: Gear Down, Flaps 30 Final Items!
We’ll keep you updated on other news as we see it!
Throttle On!
The AOA 777 Crew
PS- We’ll be communicating in mostly short messages for the next several weeks, unless we have something huge to announce (like the new website that will be released within the next several days). But we want to keep you updated on everything that is going on.
Cover Photo on Instagram
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