In a somewhat surprising development update, PMDG’s CEO, Robert Randazzo, returned this weekend with the usual status updates about existing products in the company lineup, but he also teased an entirely new aircraft project, fueling speculation about what PMDG might be bringing to Microsoft Flight Simulator next.
Randazzo revealed that PMDG has a new airplane project that entered development in early 2024. While details are scarce, he hinted at the project’s advanced state, stating that “it is beginning to take shape nicely.”
This announcement may catch many in the community off-guard, but PMDG has mentioned before that they were indeed exploring something new, and it appears they are now getting closer to a stage where they’ll start to lift the wraps on this new project. And that’s in addition to their ongoing work on several high-profile aircraft, including the 747 and 737 MAX.
The update sheds light on PMDG’s efforts to increase the detail level of their aircraft exteriors. Randazzo explained that this is partly in response to the new walk-around features expected in MSFS 2024. He provided a glimpse of their work, sharing a couple of images that showcase the external surfaces of an unnamed aircraft, highlighting the level of detail the team is aiming to achieve.
“In this image you can see that we have go so far as to model the lap of the skin sections to add depth to the areas where various panels/skin/structure mate together. The flush rivets are clearly discernible and the counter-sunk AN screws are also modeled with depth that is correct to the actual airplane.“
Furthermore, Randazzo suggested that this attention to detail could lead to interesting opportunities for modeling wear, damage, and other realistic features that pilots encounter during pre-flight inspections.
777-300ER Update Delayed
In other news, a planned update for the 777-300ER has been delayed due to issues discovered during beta testing. Randazzo explained, “We handed a new update for this product to our beta team last week, with the expectation that it would roll out to you in time for the weekend. Unfortunately, it became obvious that we managed to break something pretty successfully because the beta team went into RTO immediately upon receiving it.“
The team is now working to resolve these issues, with Randazzo expressing confidence that they will “sort the issue out this week” and reintroduce the changes to the beta testing team by the end of August.
777F and 747 Development Progress
The 777 Freighter (777F) has also faced slight delays. Randazzo cited “staffing hiccups” and the issues with the 777-300ER as reasons for the 777F’s testing phase being pushed back. However, he reiterated that they anticipate a “relatively short testing period” once it begins.
Regarding the highly anticipated 747, Randazzo confirmed that development is ongoing, with team members increasingly shifting their focus to this project as work on the 777 series winds down.
