PMDG has issued its most recent update for its 737 for MSFS range. The new update is fairly significant as it improves various aspects and brings technology from their 777-300ER series to the narrow-body planes.
The biggest change with the update is the use of Navigraph’s modern database format (ARINC 424) and also improvements with the lateral path movement of the plane. There is improvements to the VNAV logic, missed approaches, and also the IRU drift model. The full changelog of changes is below.
Finally, the team has implemented the Asobo weather ‘radar’ with the plane so you do get some kind of returns on the ND when flying in areas with built-up weather. It is worth remembering this is a layer and not actually a radar.
In addition to the plane itself being updated, so did the onboard tablet. You can now interact with ground connections, perform maintenance tasks, manage auto-cruise, and finally update your Navigraph database from the tablet.
You will need to follow some specific steps in order to get the update correctly added to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020. Check out more of our PMDG-related content here.
First, you need to update the PMDG Operations Center.
1) Launch the PMDG Operations Center.
2) Click on the FILE menu at the top, left.
3) Click UPDATE THIS APP and let the process run. (Alternately, you can click on NOTIFICATIONS and then UPDATE THIS APP. Either way the result is the same.)
4) After (and ONLY after) PMDG Operations Center has updated you will see v2.0.1.2186 on the top menu bar.
5) Now you are ready to update your product!Next, lets update your 737!
A) Run the Operations Center (it should be running from step 5, above!)
B) Click AIRCRAFT AND LIVERIES, then PRODUCT UPDATES.
C) If the blue “Check Now” button is present, click on it.
D) Update your PMDG 737 installations one at a time.There has been an ’emergency’ post to highlight how to fix some other issues if you’re having them.
Changelog
- 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)