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I am interested in buying the PMDG B-737, but notice there are three different models with substantially different prices. Do you have to get the most expensive one before you can buy the cheaper ones, or can you just buy and fly the cheaper model? What’s the difference? I want it for PC, not Xbox.
Do you particularly care about which variant of the 737NG you fly?
That’s to say, would it bother you if you had to fly a Ryanair flight with the -600 or -900, rather than the real world ops with the -800? Or a Southwest flight in the sim with the -900, rather than the real world -700 or -800 that Southwest operate?
If it doesn’t and you have no particular affinity to one variant over another, you can happily purchase the cheapest PMDG offering, the -600 or the second cheapest, the -900, rather than the more expensive -700 or priciest (and most popular) -800.
Differences:
- There is some range penalty with the longest (-900) compared to the shortest (-600).
- The -700 and -800 both come with a BBJ version, in case you like bizjet flying.
- Due to the differing lengths of each variant, there are some modelled visual differences.
- Due to the differing lengths of each variant, there are some flight model differences.
Apart from purchase price, the biggest difference you’ll notice is the ease of which you will be able to tailstrike the -900 and to a slightly lesser degree the -800 on take-off and on landing flare when compared to the two shorter variants.
As I already stated via e-mail, thanks for the reply. This info is very helpful. I’m leaning toward going with the 600.
Just keep in mind apart from what @F737NG already said, the 600 and 900 version doesn’t have any cargo airframes as well if that’s something you are interested in.
600 has a single type of airframe
700 has 3 main types of airframes, pax, cargo (bdsf) and bbj
800 has 4 main types of airframes, pax, cargo (bcf), cargo (bdsf) and bbj
900 has 2 main types of airframes, pax and pax er.
700 pax, bbj, 800 pax , bbj and 900 er has two types of wingtip options - blended winglet and split scimitar winglets.
Now it’s all laid out in front of you. I would pick the 600 if I am not too serious about real world ops or the 800 if I want different types of ops including cargo. But keep in mind their flight behavior and feel is probably quite different. Since I am not a real world pilot, I cannot tell you how realistic those differences are here in sim. I enjoy the 800 quite a bit, it being quite long, you have to keep tail clearance in mind during rotation and flare. Same goes for 900 but i don’t own it. I enjoy the 600 as well, it a fun little plane.
All my flying is with passengers, no freight, simple point A to point B, no waypoints, clear weather, done mostly with HDG and not NAV. I appreciate your response and think the 600 would fit the bill with me. Since I am not an airline pilot either, I would not know whether the 600’s characteristics are accurate or not, but as long as I can “fly” it and land it, I’d be happy. I don’t want to worry about scraping the tail.