Precision Manuals Development Group
 | This article contains wording that promotes the subject in a subjective manner without imparting real information. (April 2012) |
| Company type | Software Developer |
|---|---|
| Industry | Flight Simulator Software |
| Founded | 1997 |
| Headquarters | Washoe County, NV |
Key people | Captain Robert S. Randazzo (founder) |
Number of employees | 9 |
| Website | http://www.precisionmanuals.com |
Precision Manuals Development Group (PMDG) is a commercial add-on aircraft developer for the Microsoft Flight Simulator series. The company is often noted as one of the leaders in the add-on and development community of Microsoft Flight Simulator, regarding highly detailed simulated aircraft that closely resemble their real world counterparts.[1][2] It has nine employees as of 2009, with a collection of beta testers which include multiple aviation professionals.[3]
Company background
PMDG's simulation products are being used by individuals, companies, pilots and professional flight crews in nearly every country around the world. A leader in the development of advanced simulation technologies, PMDG's simulation software has become well known for attention to detail, innovation and thoroughness.
The company works with some of the biggest names in aerospace[according to whom?] and partners with some of the world's largest airlines in order to produce highly detailed airliner simulations that are capable of reproducing the complex world of the modern flight deck in finite detail[peacock prose]. It is a global business with employees and contractors working in Canada, Belgium, Germany, Greece, Russia, South Africa and the United States. In addition, the company currently has employees and contractors located in the following US States: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, Nevada, New York, Ohio, and Washington.
PMDG is headquartered in Northern Nevada, approximately 15 nm north of Reno-Tahoe International Airport. On June 4, 2012, PMDG announced that they would move bback to Virginia, where the company was founded, during mid-June.[4]
History
The company began by producing detailed flight manuals, hence its name.[5] However, the company soon moved on to developing add-on aircraft after creating only two manuals for the Microsoft Flight Simulator 747 and 757. The first aircraft development was for the Fly! simulator, which was a package of the Boeing 757 and Boeing 767. This could be played on the Macintosh or PC.[6]
FS2004 Products
On 21 January 2010 PMDG announced that they would no longer be producing payware aircraft for the FS9 platform because "the market for FS2004 customers is shrinking at an astonishing rate."[7]
In his forum post on the AVSIM website, Captain Randazzo also announced that the future plans for an update of the PMDG 737NG for FS2004 "is doubtful at best."[7]
However, after a long debate, the development of the FS2004 version of the PMDG 737 NG has been permanently halted.
Aircraft
PMDG has created nine aircraft for Flight Simulator 2004 and six aircraft for Flight Simulator X, two of which are extensions of the 747-400X. The PMDG Boeing 737 NGX is for Flight Simulator X only and is currently available in 737-800/900 winglet/non-winglet models only. The 737-600/700 models are an expansion to the base package and are available as an optional add on.
| Flight Simulator 2004 | Release Date | Flight Simulator X | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 737-600 | 747-400X | ||
| 737-700 | MD-11 | ||
| 737-800 | 747-8i/F (Extension) | ||
| 737-900 | JS4100 | ||
| Beechcraft 1900C | 747 LCF (Extension) | ||
| Beechcraft 1900D | Boeing 737-800/900 NGX | 04AUG11 | |
| 747-400 | Boeing 737-600/700 (Extension) | 29OCT11 | |
| 747-400F | |||
| MD-11 |
In development
As of February 2012, the company has announced that it is developing three new aircraft for Flight Simulator X:
| Aircraft | Estimated Release Dates | Platform |
|---|---|---|
| Bombardier Dash 8 | 2012-2013 | FSX Only |
| Boeing 777 | 2012 | FSX Only |
| Douglas DC-6 | 2012 | FSX Only |
| Boeing 747 2.0 [8] | 2012 | FSX Only |
| Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental 2.0 | 2012 | FSX Only |
References
- ^ "AVSIM PMDG NG Review". AVSIM.
- ^ "PMDG 747-400F Queen of the Skies Review". Flightsim-Pro.
- ^ http://precisionmanuals.com/comp/pages/profile.html
- ^ In mid June, PMDG's HQ will be moving from Nevada back to Virginia, where the company was founded 15 years ago. This move will take about three weeks to complete, but you should notice no disruption at all, as our infrastructure is unaffected by the move. Our long term plan is to bring more of PMDG's development resources under one roof over the next few years, and this should help us continue moving toward our objective on improving development timelines.
- ^ "PMDG Company Profile". 2007.
- ^ http://www.flightsim.com/main/review/pmdg.htm
- ^ a b http://forum.avsim.net/topic/273567-pmdgs-position-on-fs2004-development-21jan10/
- ^ PMDG Announces B777 Progress and B747-400 Version 2.0! http://forum.avsim.net/page/Reviews/pmdg.html
http://www.avsim.com/pages/0811/PMDG/737.html Avsim NGX review