The Majestic 2020 Roadmap
Fellow MJC Captains & First Officers,
Last year we announced that an update would have been given about mid-January, and now its about mid-March. I sincerely apologize for the delay but having to juggle multiple aspects of life (work, family-life) I became somewhat consumed with taking care of my ill parents which required quite a bit of traveling to another country. My mother recently passed in January which really put things at a stand-still especially since I now have an ill grieving father, anyway not trying to bore you all, so moving on. Since I have been MIA our sole developer has still been deep in code amidst his busy schedule as well. Anyway, on to the what's been happening behind the scenes.
Q400 TRAINING Edition:
A few months ago we pushed a small update which addressed a few issues that needed to be fixed and it allowed for the implementation of the FlightsimApps FMS for the PRO Edition. Work on the Q400 Training Edition has been steadily on-going although at a slower pace due to a few set backs, but still progressing. The FDR functionality is still in work, however the TRAINING Edition is going to be split into two Editions: The TRAINING Edition & The Cockpit Edition.
This was done specifically to allow users who wanted to have the full feature set of the TRAINING package (systems/component failures) minus the split touch screen functionality. Users intending to purchase the TRAINING Edition if interested can purchase a separate network client for individual non-touch EFIS screens which can be assigned to several monitors. The 125 Hz flight control system will still be available and the input devices are still assigned the way they are in the PRO Edition.
All of the features available in the PRO Edition are native to the upcoming TRAINING Edition plus the following:
Already available in the PRO Edition:
CUSTOM FLIGHT DYNAMICS ENGINE
WEATHER RADAR
TCAS
FMS NAVIGATION, FUEL MANAGEMENT AND BASIC PERFORMANCE
USER DOCUMENTATION
VIRTUAL COCKPIT AND EXTERNAL MODELS
ADDITIONAL LIVERIES AND PAINT-KIT
PASSENGER ANNOUNCEMENTS
FMS FPL WINDS
SAVING AND LOADING PANEL STATE
CUSTOM SOUND SYSTEM
ADD-ON CONTROL PANEL APPLICATION (CPAN)
SHARED COCKPIT FEATURE
COMPLETELY CUSTOMIZABLE FAILURE SYSTEM via the SYSTEM PANEL (SYSPAN)
RANDOM FAILURES
HEADS-UP GUIDANCE SYSTEM
4x SMOOTHER CONTROLS
SOUND SYSTEM ADVANCED MODE
AUTOPILOT TCS MODE
FMS ETP/PNR FUNCTIONALITY
2D PANELS
WORKING CIRCUIT BREAKERS SIMULATION
ALTERNATE GEAR EXTENSION
Specific to the TRAINING Edition:
SYSTEM CONTROL APPLICATION OF ALL SYSTEMS
FMS ARINC WEATHER
FLIGHT CONTROLS DISCONNECT SIMULATION
SIMULATOR TRAINING MANUAL
CUSTOM FLIGHT DATA RECORDER
FMS RAIM SIMULATION
ARCDU MAINTENANCE FUNCTIONS
SYS PANEL (SYSPAN) IMAGES:
Electrics:-
Hydraulics:-
Avionics:-
Power Plant:-
Flight Controls:-
Q400 COCKPIT Edition:
The COCKPIT Edition will be comprised of everything in the TRAINING Edition plus the individual touch screen functionality which will allow for multiple interface configurations. This platform is currently being tested by a few cockpit builders. Pricing for this additional platform is still to be determined.
All features included with TRAINING Edition plus the following:
COCKPIT HARDWARE INTERFACE - Cockpit Edition ONLY
MULTI-MONITOR COCKPIT 2D PANELS - Cockpit Edition ONLY
MULTI-MONITOR TOUCH SCREEN FUNCTIONALITY - Cockpit Edition ONLY
MJC4EFIS APPLICATION - Cockpit Edition ONLY
EFIS CLIENT IMAGES: (Optional for TRAINING Edition for additional cost - pricing TBD)
TOUCH-SCREEN PANELS
Other items of interest:
What about PBR?
PBR implementation may have to be put on the back burner for the time being due to the on-going life issues that took priority, but we do hope to add it at some point and time.
What about TrueGlass?
We are looking at the implementation of TrueGlass functionality, and more info regarding this will be provided when it's implementation is deemed to be satisfactory to the development and test teams.
Q300 Editions:
With the recent rave of the re-invented simulation platform on the horizon, we have decided to halt development to a certain degree until we can get more info from a developmental aspect of the new Microsoft Flight Simulator to be released later this year. I think it would be fair to say that ALL further development for the FSX platform will come to an end for the upcoming Q300 and Q400 projects moving forward (after MFS is released). It may very well require going back to the drawing board to revamp the Q300 and Q400 based on what the new platform has to offer. I know that this may not be what most of you want to hear about the Q300 v2 project, but from a business perspective it would be the best approach moving forward.
There are still a few bugs that remain unfixed and will be looked at on a case-by-case basis to determine if they will be fixed. We would encourage users to post any bugs that they encounter or have questions about on the forum.
We hope that everyone is doing their best to follow the guidelines of the COVID-19 pandemic, and we wish everyone safe travels, especially for those working in the airline industry or businesses that require one to still work among crowds.
Cheers
The Majestic Software Team
-kroswynd
Comments
So sorry for your loss, your father must be devastated.
I have just lost my friend and co-pilot to a sudden heart attack, really upset. Now trying to learn your Dash 8 on my own.
Was waiting for the training edition to utilize my multiple touch screens for the panels which i am mousing at present.
Do I understand correctly that for multiple touch screens featuring whole panels to work correctly I have to wait for the cockpit edition to come out?
First of all, sorry for your loss!
And thank you for the update and continued development and improvement of the Q400.
My question is if you are planning to add a single cue flight director next to the standard dual cue that we have right now. Thanks!
Very sorry for your loss, those are alaways very though situations unfortunately.
Love to hear that updates are coming, your new features look very nice on the Training version, can't wait to see the CDS in the ARCDU and if you are simulating the maintenance panel as well.
I am a B1 certified technician on the Dash 8 Q400 for a central European Airline which has some Q400s and I have to say the Majestic is stunning, it is the best aircraft produced for the sim, the systems are near all simulated, I use it for flight sim but as well as help to review some systems from time to time because ot is very accurate... Nevertheless I leave you a little input of few details on diferent systems that you could correct on the PILOT and PRO Version...
The Flight Taxi switch is a solenoid locked switch which is locked by elec power on Taxi, so when MASTER BAT POWER is OFF Fight Taxi should jump to Flight, would love to see that...
APU BLEED is instantaneous on the Majestic when the switch is pressed, it takes at least 20 to 30 seconds until the full flow is available on the real one...
With BATS OFF, if DC EXT PWR goes ON the DC BUSEs go really ON and aircraft comes alive, on the Majestic only after turning BATS ON then Ext Power powers the DC BUSES... this is not the correct way to power up and its not recommended but it works, cleaners in my company tend to do that xD
As soon as you turn ON the BAT Master, the Pre-Charge Accumulator charges and does a loudy noise outside that you can hear from the cockpit if doors are open. STBY #1 and PTU are as well noisy as hell on the ground with engines off.
The nose gear doors don't open on the ground I think maybe a bug I don't know. The main gear door are fully functional on ground.
If you turn a screen off, when you turn it on again a self test is done again, the OFF is really OFF.
I would have other little details but I think this does not apply to the PRO Version and I think you will implement or correct on the Training version...
This is not criticism only a little input that could be corrected for PILOT and PRO versions. Keep up the nice work guys, and I am very excited to see new stuff coming out.
Cheers
Dear kroswynd,
having lost my father and having a grieving mother still in the UK, (not where I live any more), I can really feel the situation you have been going through. I look forward to seeing what is coming, for P3D V5, for FS2020 (or whatever it will be termed), and for new aircraft. I loved the Q400 from the first day and it is an addon I return to again and again, like coming home
Keep strong, keep healthy in these turbulent times...
Andrew
@argentLamming
Thank you for your kind words and input, we appreciate additional information to assist in creating a more immersive environment when able to.
@alehead
Thank you also for the the kind words. P3D v5 has been recently released, and for the most part the Q400 operates as it ought to apart from a few items that need to be addressed. Our roadmap for MSFS is still to be determined as there is very little we know of the platform at this time.
its a trying time for all, especially those of us in the aviation industry, but this too shall pass.
Cheers
See attached
The Q400 is a plane that I keep coming back to and falling for all over again.
Looking toward the future, I would like to see the documentation updated. It's frustrating to see so many references to FSX this and that when I'm rocking a P3D 64-bit version.
From pop-outs in the manual, I think this was written circa Win7. For example, from p. 5 of the Control Panel Guide, "The default timer...is the Queue Timer. This Windows timer provides...better stability than that of an older Multimedia timer...It was also shown that the Multimedia timer might have greater stability under the Windows 8."
I recently upgraded to Win10 2004 and had my timer set to the default timer, resulting in excruciatingly slow flight (2.5+ hours to go 390nm); switching to Multimedia timer fixed it.
I'm a retired corporate writer/editor with experience in laying docs out electronically and would gladly volunteer on such an update.
Thanks for a great, fun product, constantly trying to adapt and improve itself.
BTW, Virtual United Airlines - www.virtualunitedairlines.org - has a special tour called Dash Around the World, where our pilots fly a Dash variant (Q400 for me) on 27 flights for five Dash operators.
+1 for UAL277 comment. AN update is needed for P3DV5.
It is great aircraft thank you.
jai encore besoin d'entrainement pour être à votre niveau je doits encore progresser mais j'avoue que c'est vraiment passionnant une fois que tu as essayé tu accroche dur
Je suis d'accord avec vous, bien que le contexte soit absent, ou faites-vous référence aux fonctionnalités à prévoir. Le Dash propose actuellement un certain niveau d'équipement, où l'un ou l'autre manque certainement, car toutes les compagnies aériennes ne l'ont pas en option, mais ce qu'il propose est l'un des meilleurs que je connaisse. Heureusement, il existe encore quelques compagnies aériennes qui volent avec le Dash, mais malheureusement certaines ont également disparu ou n'utilisent plus le Dash (Eurowings, Air Berlin, Flybe, Air Baltic)
Si possible, écrivez en anglais, c'est la langue du forum afin que tout le monde puisse en quelque sorte lire.
Si vous avez des questions sur certains systèmes ou procédures (afin de vous améliorer davantage ;-)), demandez simplement dans les sous-forums respectifs, il y a de bonnes personnes qui vous aideront avec ce grand avion.