PMDG's 747-8i Catering and Cargo Bays

[vc-10man]

(a) Just out of interest, where before with the PMDG 747-400 and -400F I used to get the GSX catering vehicles service the aircraft at R Fwd  and R Aft Service Doors(pax model), and R Upper Service Door,(freighter) after editing, in the newer 747-8i, it states 'catering vehicle on its way', but never shows anywhere near the aircraft. Next message is 'catering completed'. Strange.

(b)Why is it, after parking at FSDT's KDFW cargo bays, when asking GSX to do the deboarding, it instead wants to take me to a Gate, when by all rights a freighter should be deboarding its cargo at a cargo bay/stand? Again, weird GSX anomalies and behaviour.

Anyone else experience that?

[virtuali]

after editing, in the newer 747-8i, it states 'catering vehicle on its way', but never shows anywhere near the aircraft. Next message is 'catering completed'. Strange.

What do you mean with "after editing" ?

when asking GSX to do the deboarding, it instead wants to take me to a Gate

I don't follow you here. What do you mean with "wants to take me to a gate" ? GSX will service in the place you are, it surely won't take you anywhere or suggest another gate.

[headley]

when asking GSX to do the deboarding, it instead wants to take me to a Gate

I don't follow you here. What do you mean with "wants to take me to a gate" ? GSX will service in the place you are, it surely won't take you anywhere or suggest another gate.

I think in this scenario GSX is recognising the wrong afcad, and instead of offering the usual services, asks for a parking or stand as the aircraft is "not yet" parked.

[vc-10man]

Spot-on. You nailed it in one.

I park at a stand/gate, which is marked as Heavy so, in theory should take a PMDG 747-8i, yet from the GSX menu it will not de-board that gate/stand but instead offers to warp me somewhere else, i.e, from a cargo terminal stand to elsewhere not connected with cargo.

[vc-10man]

after editing, in the newer 747-8i, it states 'catering vehicle on its way', but never shows anywhere near the aircraft. Next message is 'catering completed'. Strange.

What do you mean with "after editing" ?

when asking GSX to do the deboarding, it instead wants to take me to a Gate

After I had edited the catering truck delivery height for the PMDG 747-400F to be at the upper deck service door as there are no service doors on the 747-400F as at the usual 747-400 pax version height. Hence, I thought having edited the height correctly for the -400F, it would be the same in the -8i, except the catering truck does not show up at all, yet the message afterwards is,' catering service completed'. I am baffled as to never mind not being at that service door on the RHS, but why no visible appearance anywhere?

[virtuali]

I park at a stand/gate, which is marked as Heavy so, in theory should take a PMDG 747-8i, yet from the GSX menu it will not de-board that gate/stand but instead offers to warp me somewhere else, i.e, from a cargo terminal stand to elsewhere not connected with cargo.

That means there's an AFCAD in conflict. The GSX parking customization page will tell you the name of the AFCAD in use by GSX, so it might help you understanding what's wrong.

[vc-10man]

Great, thanks for that re:AFCAD. That solves that.

But what about this little problem? See attached. Instead a 'full-blown' catering truck, all I get for the PMDG 747-8i is a diddy little van for the freighter version but okay for the pax version.

[vc-10man]

Another image. (Didn't know how to add 2nd image)

[virtuali]

diddy little van for the freighter version but okay for the pax version.

How much food do you expect the cargo crew would require ? All cargo planes would have minivans for catering.

[vc-10man]

That is a nutshell explains it all now. Never gave that a thought, it being a cargo plane with say half a dozen at most, crew, if not more than 2-4 including the flight crew, then you are so right. Am I feeding an army? And furthermore, makes a great deal of sense now that you have pointed out, because as per my images attached, the same aircraft in pax version has the proper catering trucks.