PMDG 737NGX Released

[EHM-1997 Alexander]

Linky: http://precisionmanuals.com/pages/product/ngx.html

[EHM-0654 Murray]

70 bucks... bit steep (IMO), and if nothing's changed at PMDG, it won't easily work with the PM software (annoyingly... their flight models are gorgeous)

[EHM-1997 Alexander]

Flight models aren't gorgeous compared to x-plane though, at least with the MD-11 I own. Its flight model can behave very strangely (kangaroo) and isn't close to say the x737 for smoothness, feel, fluidity etc. May hit some numbers at specific points of the flight envelope, but that's it in my experience. Not helped by FSX's low frame rate and stuttering, I know.

Perhaps I've been spoilt, but I'm vastly happier with the feel of the x-plane payware CRJ-200 / Dash 8 / MU-2 / PC-12 / than any of the PMDG planes I own, and when hooking up to PM you're dumping really what it is that you're paying that money for. It looks like a wonderful systems sim (but I paid a heck of a lot more for PM already).

MSFS has its strengths, but the flight model isn't one of them sadly.

I know there are a bunch of planes in x-plane where the flight model isn't representative of the real plane (even caranedo: garbage in = garbage out), but comparing top end with top end is no contest.

Agree with you that the money isn't worth it if you're using external systems.

[EHM-0654 Murray]

OK, then let me adjust my statement to "...their flight models are gorgeous looking"

I agree; X-Plane has the physics of flight as close to perfect as I think it's ever going to be, and model-wise the top-end is at least as good as FS. Hopefully, XP10 will give us a little more of the "surrounding prettiness" that MS got everyone used to and will finally make big in-roads into the FS userbase.

[EHM-1997 Alexander]

Oh you mean their Visual model Yes, couldn't agree more there. Very pretty. They even do some nice lighting tricks in the cockpit that emulate x-planes default lighting (shame it's a hack though because discrete levels != smooth changes).

The systems detail on the NGX looks to be the best I've seen, although tbh, a lot probably won't be appreciated. I'm still going to wait for the IXEG 737 classic. It will probably be closer to the ifly level of systems depth, but it's all about how she flies

I also want x-plane turbulance and weather to be 'tweaked' as well as sorting out waves on water (Tsunami!).

There's still a way to go forward still on x-planes flight model, but I think it's among the best around at the moment. An 'engine maker' app like the airfoil and planemakers would be good for devs too I hear.

I think they key to x-plane 10's success (on top of the default sim improvements) will be the number of addon makers putting products out and both the visual, weather and ATC improvements to the sim.