There’s a mix of news coming from PMDG’s Robert S. Randazzo with the usual lengthy overview of their product plans, challenges, and estimated timelines. There’s quite a bit of interest on the release of the remaining 777 products as well as what the upgrade pathways are for the DC-6 and 737NG line. Here’s my summary.
All of the 777 news
The not yet released 777-200ER is the next PMDG product up for launch and Robert reports that testing is going well noting their efforts to make sure that the P&W, GE and Rolls Royce engines are performing the way that they should and sound they way that they should. Each engine will be subtly different as we’d expect from a high end product like this.
The -200ER is planned to release for both MSFS 2020 and 2024, will come with over 30 liveries, and be managed by the new PMDG Operations Centre 3.0 which itself is planned to come just before release. Once testing is complete, they will share their release plans with us.
The 777-300ER and 777F will get updates around the time of the release of the 777-200ER. Refreshed sounds are planned on the entire 777 line as well.
Here comes the first bit of really good news (or maybe we already knew this and I forgot about it). Current owners of the 777 for 2020 will be upgraded to MSFS 2024 for free as part of their ongoing support.
Good DC-6 news too
More good news here! DC-6 upgrade to 2024 will be free which is great as this was PMDG’s first release into 2020 and I know a great many folks enjoy this airplane. DC-6 is not one I own yet but I’m awfully tempted and the free upgrade to 2024 is great news.
There were issues with the airplane in the initial move over, animations in particular were particularly laggy but all of this is fixed and in testing.
Waiting on the 737NG and 737MAX
There’s a bunch of good news and now we turn to the “bad” news or rather the delayed gratification news. Robert says its too early to report on the 737NG series moving into 2024 but says that a new cabin is being integrated in so clearly there is some work going on even while the 777 and DC-6 are ahead of it.
As for the 737MAX, it sounds like this one remains on the backburner. Here’s what Robert said:
For the MAX enthusiasts: Our work on MAX continues to be held in place by the need to maintain professional separation between our retail simming work and our work with an enterprise level project that will be relying upon our simulation technology. Once clear of that obligation, we’ll recommence work toward bringing you our MAX. Until that time, we won’t be offering much updates other than to say that we look forward to seeing that hurdle cleared.
Sounds like the wait for that will be lengthy.
Good progress with the Jumbo Jet
PMDG are also working away on the 747 classic with some work in progress images of the landing gear showing some of the details being put into the project.
Robert reports that they are currently working on how the flight engineer and co-pilot will work with optional levels of teamwork from assistants in both roles helping players determine how much of the workload they want to handle themselves.
The 747 classic will be the most detailed project that PMDG have done to date. They say that work has started in 2020, however, they are moving to 2024 shortly and aren’t sure if the product will be released for 2020. Apparently the production tools on 2024 are quite a bit better and they will have to evaluate the dev time when the product releases.
PMDG has quite a bit of time still to make this decision and its clear that this product is just beginning to take shape.
Stormbirds 
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