Precision Manuals Development Group
 | |
| Software Developer | |
| Industry | Flight Simulator Software |
| Founded | 1997 |
| Headquarters | Alexandria, VA |
Key people |
Captain Robert S. Randazzo (founder) Ryan Maziarz (Development) |
Number of employees | 8 |
| Website | http://www.precisionmanuals.com |
Precision Manuals Development Group (often abbreviated as PMDG) is a commercial add-on aircraft developer for the Microsoft Flight Simulator,[1] Lockheed Martin Prepar3D,[2] and X-Plane[3] series. The company was founded by airline pilot Robert Randazzo, who stated that his ultimate goal was to develop the software to the point where it could be used by airlines and manufacturers to supplement pilot training.[4] The company is based out of Virginia but has several employees in countries such Belgium, South Africa, and Canada.[4] It has nine employees as of 2009, with a collection of beta testers which include multiple aviation professionals.
PMDG's software has received praise for its realism.[4][5] This led the company to be one of several flight simulation companies that were criticized in the wake of the September 11 attacks, as some critics felt that the software made it easier for potential terrorists to learn to fly commercial planes.[6]
Company background
The company began by producing detailed flight manuals, hence its name. 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 a package of the Boeing 757 and Boeing 767 for the Fly! simulator, which could be played on Macintosh or PC. On 25 October 2014, it was announced on PMDG's AVSIM forum, that the Boeing 777-200LR base package will be available on the Prepar3D platform. [7]
With employees and contractors working around the world, 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 back to Virginia, where the company was founded.
Aircraft
PMDG has created nine aircraft for Flight Simulator 2004 and nine aircraft for Flight Simulator X, two of which are extensions of the 747-400X. The PMDG Boeing 737 NGX is for Flight Simulator X and Prepar3d only and is currently available in 737-800/900 winglet/non-winglet models. The 737-600/700 winglet/non-winglet models are a continuation of the base package and are available as an expansion. The 777-200LR and accompanying 777-300ER expansion were the first PMDG products for Lockheed Martin's Prepar3D V2 which was released on February 7, 2015, as well as Flight Simulator X (the NGX was patched to P3D V2 compatibility after the 777). These two products are widely regarded as some of the best offerings for flight simulation in terms of system depth, fidelity, and function, as well as faithful exterior modelling, sound, and flight dynamics.
| Flight Simulator 2004 | Release Date | Flight Simulator X | Release Date | Prepar3D V2/V3 | Release Date | X-Plane 10 | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 737-600 | 747-400X | September 26, 2007 | Boeing 777-200LR/F | February 7, 2015 | DC-6 | June 1, 2016 | |
| 737-700 | MD-11 | Boeing 777-300ER(Extension) | February 7, 2015 | ||||
| 737-800 | 747-8i/F (Extension) | Boeing 737-800/900 NGX | March 6, 2015 | ||||
| 737-900 | JS4100 | September 9, 2009 | Boeing 737-600/700 NGX(Extension) | March 6, 2015 | |||
| Beechcraft 1900C | 747 LCF (Extension) | September 26, 2010 | |||||
| Beechcraft 1900D | Boeing 737-800/900 NGX | August 4, 2011 | |||||
| 747-400 | Boeing 737-600/700 NGX(Extension) | October 29, 2011 | |||||
| 747-400F | Boeing 777-200LR/F | September 5, 2013 | |||||
| MD-11 | October 14, 2008 | Boeing 777-300ER(Extension) | July 18, 2014 | ||||
| 747-400V3 | 2016 |
References
- ↑ "PMDG 737NGX (review)". PC Pilot (76). November–December 2011. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
- ↑ "PMDG 777-200LR/F". PMDG. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
- ↑ "PMDG DC-6 for X-Plane announcement". Retrieved 4 March 2015.
- 1 2 3 Ostrower, Jon (August 30, 2013). "Almost as Cool as the New Boeing 777: The New Flight Simulator". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
- ↑ "PMDG: 747-400 Queen of the Skies (review)". PC Pilot (Issue 37). November–December 2005. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
- ↑ Tompkins, Joshua. "Air Osama". Salon. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
- ↑ "First Glance at PMDG 777-200 for Prepar3D".