Early in March,
Leonardo Software released its much anticipated follow
up to the Lago Mad Dog 2004 payware panel. MD-80 series
fans had been waiting for some time for this new
version.
If you aren’t familiar
with the 2004 version, it was originally distributed
through Lago and the name became synonymous with the
actual product’s name. This pay ware panel featured the
glass components similar to what the Delta MD-88s and
MD-90s are equipped with. Although it was initially
plagued with bugs, the package offered the more
realistic option for Delta FS pilots. With an additional
application, the panel could also with the Jet City
Aircraft MD-88 and MD-90 model.
Priced at about $50.00
US (44.99 Eur), Mad Dog 2006 isn’t cheap. If you fly the
MD-8X on a regular basis, such as myself, this price is
well worth it. Leonardo Software (LS) has greatly
re-worked the features from its predecessor as well as
added new features for us to play around with. Although
the panel does not include a virtual cockpit, LS
promises to release this as a free upgrade in the near
future.
The Panel
In adding new features to the panel, LS decided to modify the way Mad
Dog 2006 displays the different panel views.
First off,
selecting the panel views has changed from the original
symbols to the left of the panel to a simplified
graphical representation now located in the middle of
the Captain’s panel and the right side of the First
Officer’s panel. The panel views are divided into the
Aft Overhead, Overhead, Startup Panel, Captain Panel, FO
panel, Captain Lateral Panel, FO Lateral Panel, FMS,
Speed Booklet and Pedestal. Although some of these were
already around in MD04, many of the controls were not
simulated. As an example, MD06 features clickable
circuit breakers in the Aft Overhead panel. In MD04,
these were basically eye candy.
LS has also modified
the main panels. MD04 only included the Captain’s side
of the panel. Certain controls that are side specific on
the actual panel were either moved to the Captain’s side
(i.e. HYD switches) or featured a clickable region to
switch back and forth between the two options for those
controls (i.e. light controls). MD06 requires the user
to flip back and forth between the FO and Capt panel to
complete certain tasks. Although the new system is more
realistic, it does take some getting used to. Users of
the previous version will also need to learn the actual
location of certain gauges. This feature does allow in
interesting options for DVA pilots though. First
Officers can actually fly the aircraft from the right
seat and make the move to the left once they earn their
additional stripe.
Although it’s a small
detail, the sounds of the clicking switches are more
realistic in this version as well. One thing I noticed
in the simulated flight decks was that the switches
weren’t as loud as represented on MD04. Some of the
switches in the actual aircraft are also “pull & switch”
style and make very little noise.
Another very nice
feature, in my opinion, are the manual speed bugs. MD04
featured two clickable regions that would either set the
bugs for take-off or landing. MD06 allows you to
manually set each bug as you would on the actual
aircraft. It’s not as quick as the original version, but
it’s much more realistic. For those who prefer not to
set each bug manually, the automatic bug set is still
available by clicking a hotspot above the gauge or below
for the descent numbers.
One of the most
interesting new features is the introduction of icing.
If you take off in the dead of winter without activating
the aircraft’s ice protection, you’ll find yourself with
an ice covered windscreen, zero airspeed and possibly
dead engines. The package also features an option for
ground de-ice operations which makes me already look
forward to winter.
It’s pretty obvious
that the folks at LS have done their research when
designing this panel. Although relating specifically to
Delta, you’ll find that the panel ends up being more of
a hybrid between the MD-88 and the MD-90. In LS’s
defense, it would be tough to get a panel perfect unless
it were released as the Delta Mad Dog 2006, Ail Italia
Mad Dog 2006, etc.
Pilots will also find
the Ground Crew and Flight Crew communication features
helpful. In MD04, you could either use the GPU or APU
for power on the ground. MD06 provides some additional
pieces of equipment while on the ground including an Air
Starter Unit, Air Conditioning, Refueling, and Pushback
Tug. All of these are accompanied with voice responses
from the ground crew. Crew communications includes the
PA/Emergency Light Test (required prior to boarding),
Boarding Start, Prepare for Takeoff, Prepare for Landing
and Unload Passengers.
The Model
The default exterior
model is also much more impressive than what was
included in MD04. The model accurately shows the control
tabs, landing lights and even the wipers. For those JCA
owners out there, LS says that MD06 can be merged with
the JCA model as MD04 was. But by doing so, you will
loose some of the features LS has included in this
version. For our DVA pilots, the downside of sticking
with the default model is that you’ll actually be flying
the MD-82 rather than the MD-88 or MD-90. Merging with
the JCA package will give you these two aircraft models,
but at the cost of the updated exterior features. Based
on the information posted on the JCA forum, they
currently have no plans to develop a compatible version.
I’m going to miss those ground vehicles that came with
it.
Although the MD06
installer comes only with the original McDonnell-Douglas
livery, LS offers a 41mb liveries pack installer which
includes 23 other liveries including Delta’s NNC
(Russian Beach Blanket, Wavy Gravy, etc). For those
creative Mad Dog pilots, LS has also made the paint kit
available for anyone who would like to put together
their own livery. The 30mb zip file contains 13 separate
Photoshop files that are ready to go and set up quite
well. I’ve actually been trying my hand at putting
together some other DAL options.
MD Manager & Setup
Users of MD04 will
probably be familiar with the Load Manager and Settings
system that comes with the panel. LS has expanded on the
options available via this system. This includes a panel
setup option which allows you to save a specific panel
state, display aspects of the gauges and physical color
of the panel.
Many of the options
here should be set based on the user’s preference, but
I’ve found that one actually helps FS performance. This
is the Filter NavData database option. You most likely
won’t be traveling huge distances in the Mad Dog, so
this option allows you to limit the nav data the panel
loads to a specific distance centered at the airport of
your choice. If you fly in and out of ATL all the time,
select ATL as the specified airport and enter a radius
distance. According to the manual, this will help with
memory usage. I have actually noticed a difference.
Documentation
A huge complaint last
time was the lack of a tutorial on how to fly the
aircraft. LS hasn’t missed it this time around and
features a tutorial in both English and Italian. The
core documentation is again very well written and
detailed. New pilots will find themselves referring to
these materials quite often during their first few
flights.
Support
Many of you will
remember that general tech support back in the Lago days
was dismal. Questions were only allowed via their online
forum where messages would go unanswered for weeks. With
LS’s shift away from Lago, the support has thankfully
improved greatly. The Mad Dog team seams to monitor the
forum quite closely and posts are normally answered
within a day or so, if not sooner.
The development team
has also recently announced an upcoming patch (SP1) that
will fix the bugs that have come up. Thankfully, these
bugs are not major enough that will prevent anyone from
flying this aircraft until the patch is released.
Other “Stuff”
Beyond the work
they’ve put in to improving the actual aircraft systems
and visuals, the folks over at Leonardo have given Mad
Dog pilots some new and some improved features with this
release.
The first is the
improvement in the First Officer and Flight Attendant
voices. The accented First Officer who accompanied us on
our flights in MD04 has been replaced with a more
American sounding pilot. Although I prefer the Flight
Attendant from MD04 (my wife once described the voice as
sultry), the new script seems a little more realistic to
what you’d hear on U.S. carriers. LS did add a neat new
feature relating to the Flight Attendant. If the cabin
is too cold or too hot, she will check in with you
requesting a temperature adjustment. Ignore her and
she’ll remind you a few minutes later. I’m sure the
married guys out there will find this familiar. ;-)
The second is the
ability to have someone join you in the flight deck
during flights via their Multi Crew feature. This adds
an interesting aspect to flying the Mad Dog as it allows
two pilots to share the responsibilities in the cockpit
as it is done in the real world. Although I haven’t
tried this feature, I hear it’s pretty nice. Now you can
call for gear up and have someone else lift the lever
while you concentrate on flying the aircraft.
Conclusions
In summary, the price
tag for the Mad Dog 2006 package may be a little steep
for many virtual pilots. But if you do have the cash to
spend, you won’t be disappointed. Leonardo has developed
an outstanding product that should please the majority
of Mad Dog pilots other there. Obviously, I wouldn’t
mind seeing a package that more closely resembles the
type of flight deck equipment Delta uses, but I can see
developing individual airline examples could be a
nightmare for LS.
The systems that are
modeled are extremely accurate and it’s obvious they
took their time to get it right this time.
One thing I sincerely
hope they work on is better merge integration with JCA
so we can fly the MD-88 and -90. The ground service
vehicles offered by the JCA model also made screenshots
a little more interesting.
I’ve completed several
flights in the MD06 panel and have been very happy.
There are very few aspects of the flight deck that are
not simulated and equipment that is not present. I’d
like to see the autobrake and “dial a flap” added to the
panel in the future, two very commonly used pieces of
equipment on the actual aircraft.
Although I don’t use a
VC view when flying, the folks at LS promise one in the
near future. For now, uses are limited to the 2D panel.
In my opinion, if you have the cash to spend on it and
you enjoy flying the MD-80, picking up this package is a
no brainer. The learning curve may be a little steep,
but well worth it.
Q
