So... after 15 flights, what IS MY OPINION of the iFly 737 MAX? | Real 737 Pilot

[@77GolfXray]

Oh trust me everyone in the iFly discord absolutely hates you for these videos, as soon as you posted this they immediately started talking shit and were questioning whether you are a real pilot or not lol. Idk if it's denial or what, but they refuse any constructive criticism you give iFly and then go on a tangent about how you're being paid by PMDG and how awful PMDG is compared to the MAX 8 because you can't interact with the cabin, nothing about the actual system depth though. Thank God we have someone like you who isn't afraid to give your opinion as a real pilot, and I also salute you for ignoring these ignorant people!

[@softreset82]

The iFly Discord is an absolute shit show. It's like watching children cry in a toy store.

[@Alexp_453]

I got muted in the fenix discord for saying it’s weird people think that he’s not a real pilot

[@tomstravels520]

These are the same people that are happy to trash say the ToLiss A330 because of textures when it’s got one of the best flight models and system simulations out there

[@elliottd323]

@@tomstravels520Meh idk about the a330 but toliss chats all about the a320s FM but it’s rubbish in xp12

[@tomstravels520]

@@elliottd323 really? Cause I find the flight model to be so much better on ToLiss. You actually feel mass behind it especially noticeable on landing. I apply the right amount of sidestick movement to flare and can settle the aircraft down fairly nicely. If I do the same thing in the Fenix I immediately float or just lift off again.

[@Fly737]

I always appreciate your honesty, Emanuel, especially in detailed reviews like this one. Even though the iFly 737 MAX isn't perfect in every aspect, I love how you focus on the reality of the flight experience and what still needs improvement. For me, it's crucial to know exactly what to expect when it comes to realism, and your evaluations always give me a fair and reliable perspective. Thanks for all the effort and time you put into these videos!

[@jrod_pilot_miami]

Thank you for bringing this product to the community. Hope you really take in all the feedback from the Beta testers and soon-to-be customers. I look forward to purchasing this one when it releases.

[@richardwade6256]

And your efforts to get developers to produce the most realistic add-ons are what I well and truly appreciate.

[@popo864]

Emanuel should have access to jira and load those bugs 😋

[@phaidros100]

Hi @Fly737, I just bought it yesterday. I love it.

[@ironmann16]

1:25 Tell me you used to fly for Ryanair without telling me you used to fly for Ryanair 🤣

[@anders95]

Let's remember that the Fenix and PMDG has been out for quite a while and has been improved since release. This will also be the case with the iFly MAX. It's looking real good for a pre-release aircraft in my opinion, but I appreciate the feedback and I'm sure the developers do too.

[@TazerXI]

While for a pre release, it is looking good and I am sure they will improve the aircraft for the full release, I will reiterate something that holds true for this and elsewhere. Buy a product for what it is today, not for the promise of what it will become under future software updates.

[@pilot.sergio4]

This man! Isn't this also iFly first major release for MSFS? If that is the case, they are going to be learning and adjusting to the new sim, although it sucks because with MSFS2024 coming out soon, they are going to have to learn that one too unless they plan on sticking to 2020 only for a while.

[@jrod_pilot_miami]

Well, I think I'm fairly convinced to pull the trigger on this addon. Hopefully iFly will take a serious look into all of the issues you transparently presented, as a subject matter expert. I always know I'll get an objective perspective from you on this channel.

[@flyguy7287]

Same. It has its issues which will hopefully be addressed by release and in future updates but I’ll be picking this up for sure

[@Avantime]

Never forget that Fenix licensed the ProSim systems, so most of the systems work on initial release wasn't their own. The time savings probably meant that they could concentrate more on eye candy. Similarly iFly's MAX for MSFS isn't particularly new as it's a (very well done) port from P3D. But hopefully with massively increased sales with MSFS (no one buys P3D addons anymore) they could afford to spend more time on further refinements to the systems code, and build a platform similar to Fenix.

[@pilot.sergio4]

I thought they said this is not a port because it simply did not work well. Hell last I remember majority of developers even the likes of PMDG said that they tried to port over their aircraft lineups from P3D but in the end just did not do well and had to rebuild them for 2020 specifically. Obviously some things did come from P3D, but everything else was built from scratch. I definitely don't remember iFly saying this a port of P3D because if that was the case and they got it to work, we would've had this 737 in our hands already.

[@jay3396]

Why can't people just accept constructive criticism and fix what's lacking instead of getting butt hurt? lol. imagine saying you're a fake pilot because of your opinion on a plane in a GAME, it's crazy. Love your videos man. Don't watch what they be saying just keep up the good work.

[@A330Driver]

Don’t confuse the developers or iFly as a company with those kids in their discords. IFly themselves logged many of my reports and are working on them.

[@joaofbi4321]

ITS A SIMULATOR NOT A GAMEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

[@pm110978]

Thanks for all your videos.Love your honesty my friend 👍

[@lftt205]

Hey Emmanuel, you keep it up don't worries about the neysayers!!! You do a great job as usual.

[@A330Driver]

Thank you! And don’t worry, let the internet be the internet. It’s just a loud minority, as usual.

[@peterbellermann4470]

The descent issues with speed have been an issue in the P3D version too. Surprised that they haven’t fixed it by now

[@johnc.4871]

What you do for airline aircraft, I wish someone would do for general aviation aircraft. I enjoy hearing snippets of a pilots life in flight simulations and some one who will speak up when something is wrong or could be better.

[@gregoryl.4872]

E, thanks for the update. Very much appreciated. Functionality is all I care about. Eye candy is nice, but descents to arrival and approach are challenging enough. I don't think we should have to babysit the VNAV system if iFly plans to release in the current state. There is no doubt I'll buy the Max, but only when it holds up to the PMDG standard.

[@sirkelzgaming318]

Great video Emmi, very fair assessment. It looks like an excellent plane, I have to admit I am biased towards PMDG because they got me into serious flight simulation. But this is a good one that I will no doubt be purchasing, and I am a fan of competition. I think they will also make the improvements you’re talking about too. I wonder if they are gonna bring out the other variants? I get board on flying the 800. It would be amazing to have the full line up of iFly maxes along with PMDG line up of NGs. I would also like an EFB that showed charts. Great vid!

[@igneousrocklad]

Honestly, I think this aircraft is going to be something that serious simmers will really appreciate. I love flying the PMDG NG, but one thing I feel they could have done better is separating the XBOX and PC versions. Trying to cater to both with one product just doesn’t work as well, and despite what some might say, it does impact the quality. Those of us who've been around since the FS2002/FS9 days can definitely see the difference, and it’s a little disappointing knowing the high standards PMDG is known for. What I really like about iFly is that they’ve avoided that pitfall. Sure, there’s always room for improvement, but I’m confident that iFly is going to hit the mark with this release and raise the bar for other developers. With the flexibility of their sim platform, they’ve got so much more freedom compared to FS9/FSX/P3D, and based on what I’ve seen so far, I really believe they’re going to get it right!

[@DrHenrik]

in which way is the quality of any pmdg product impacted by that ?

[@igneousrocklad]

@@DrHenrik if you don’t see it then my comment wasn’t meant for you. In all honesty there’s a vast difference in quality. I’ve been around long enough and purchased every single thing PMDG has ever released since its inception. Building an add on to be cross platform compatible was a big mistake and a slap in the face to those who have known PMDG for their quality. I’ll still support them regardless but as a serious simmer Xbox is the worst thing to happen to this hobby.

[@Mark-os6ej]

@@igneousrockladas an xbox player with 1000’s of hours on the sim it is a slap in the face to read comments like this… but i can understand it coming from your view.

[@DrHenrik]

@@igneousrocklad firstly I use both the fenix and the pmdg and mate let me tell you the PMDG is significantly better written. Fidelity wise both are good but the code PMDG writes is much more stable (take the integration step in the autopilot it works finde up to 8x fenix manages only 2x). So it is for me the fact that you cannot say what the drawback is tells me you don’t understand the first thing about the subject matter so yeah the comment might not be for me if you cannot verbalize your criticism apart from “believe me bro”

[@DrHenrik]

@@igneousrocklad btw I also fly all their planes, there are legitimate issues with cross platform which is why I asked honestly man think before you write

[@JaketheAVGeek]

Another comprehensive and detailed review Captain! Competition within the market is always viewed as being negative, but in reality, is very healthy. It drives developers to continue to push the envelope and capabilities of the simulator to further create a complexity of phenomenal add-ons. The first aircraft that I purchased for the sim was a PMDG 737, but man oh man, does the iFly Max look good! It will definitely be added to my fleet of add-ons! I hope to see further development and "fixes" of many of the areas that you and others have pointed out. Thanks again!

[@BravoMike14]

Thank you very much for all your precise and well-argued explanations. For me, you are a reference.

[@PepuDrummer527]

I love the idea of this plane being specially for PC simulator and not console! When they try to make it for consoles, they have to go lower on graphics or some really good features that will not make the plane a study level one.

[@pilot.sergio4]

Not really, a lot of people have been crapping on PMDG lately because other developers have fluid wing flex or that their cabin is modeled with much more detail, but PMDG still has the best aircraft systems and logic out of all, and guess what? Their 737 is on Xbox as well. So that is false that devs would skimp on aircrafts systems and not make it study level just because it goes to Xbox as well. Graphics yes I do agree they tone it down just to be able to run it well on consoles but that does not take away from the experience of the study level aircrafts.

[@fjacobsen16]

The iFly 737 Max i nice, but also has quite a number of issues. I find that using the performance tools an weight & balance in the EFB is bewildering. After take off engaging the autopilot made it roll back and forth a few times and triggered the "Bank angle" warning a couple of times. The rest of the flight until the ILS landing went fine though. But executing an autoland ended up in the aircraft pitching up and down quite violent at 1000 ft AGL, leaving me no other option that taking over the controls and still slammed into the runway. Autobrakes also don´t disarm when pressing the toe brakes (which I assume they should). So my verdict is that it is a promising Aircraft addon, but still somewhat far away from how other addons behaves (Fenix, PMDG, Maddog X, etc..) So I´m looking forward to Your Approach and Landing video 🙂

[@onecharliemike6022]

We need a cockpit mod with an A330 Driver sticker next to the Master Caution and a coffee mug. The review I'll be more excited about is this aircraft once it's released.

[@A330Driver]

😂😂😂

[@sparrow-hawk2706]

I totally agree with you. Good and comprehensive opinion. I was hated by comunnity every time I expressed my doubts about this plane. Good plane, but need some work and tunning. I think, that PMDG 737 is currently more reliable plane. But it didn't have a working toilet or passenger cabin. I am thinking also, that the iFly's tablet seems to be a little outdated.

[@PepuDrummer527]

Also, as for the plane having some bugs I mean, even the pmdg still have some and they have had a long time to polish it.

[@EJ109]

I appreciate your honest opinion on this aircraft. I have and love the aircraft, but I have noticed some issues with it as well. I've had about 10 flights in it and noticed some really bad behavior when I fly in rain with some moderate winds. The plane becomes very unstable during an approach. Something I haven't experienced with PMDG or Fenix.

[@stevoone342]

Good vid, this is also an issue with a extended period of pre release vids from creators, will create a lot of interest and hype especially over what seems like a really good add on. Also been beneficial to all to have apx release date. Due surely if you given it to vid creators- reviews it must be more or less ready. And wold help with pre release fatigue. I hope I fly is listening to what needs to be worked on. But it does seem it just about there bar some fernnessing.

[@johnleekin3233]

I’ll buy the full release when it comes out. Im sticking to PMDG until IFLY proves it can be on par with them.

[@HarryFortyTwo]

good summary. Currently graphics over systems, which is ok for many customers, but for many also not - can change, but i don‘t hold my breath.

[@jetcit]

Thank you for the summary and recommendations

[@E.Dragon-666]

Thanks for your comments, it's not easy to get a perfect simulation of the system, but I'm sure the development team will gradually refine it and give them a little time😄

[@CrashEd1664]

Excellent and honest review as always Emmi. Many thanks 👍

[@RJ-lh8vm]

The max is a great add on and I’m sure it’ll get better overtime, but, as of now PMDG 737 and Fenix a320 are the standard when it comes to studio quality.

[@Izmael1310]

100% agree with the overhype by fanboys or paid content creators by the developer (doesnt matter if it is ifly or pmdg or captain scam). Ifly max is not bad a aircraft. But it is not that good as they all claim. They are not just being honest thats all. But in general this aircraft is breath of fresh air. If I dont count the Fenix A319 and A321 it is the best short/medium haul airliner we had in years. If there would not be pmdg 777 it is the best airliner released in what last 2 years? To me biggest concern is that I dont know the company. I dont know what to expect. Will they make updates? How many? How often? Are they going to charge money for msfs24 upgrade? etc.

[@shimizu67]

Still trying to decide if I should get this sim or not, thanks for your honest opinion. And as usual beautiful landing.

[@Nemura12]

The Vnav is quite challenging to do well, and PMDG is very experienced but ifly still quite promising.

[@skygamer_bro]

I've been stuck with the PMDG B737 since its release, but I really want the B738. However, I don't want to pay full price for a plane that is almost the same as the one I have. I should go for the iFly B738 Max this time; however, I'll wait for this product to mature before buying it.

[@arturchuprikov2304]

I remember my investigation of iFly 737 for FS9 version. VNAV was always the problem of this model. I found that aircraft has simplified engine simulation, that's why during VNAV path descent aircraft "dives" to ALT constraint with very high V/S. Usually it happens just few hundred feet to go... Would be interesting if Emanual can check it...

[@Danimalpm1]

Nice landing at TPA! Sitting here without electricity and gas for days at a time after Milton makes the arguments about what plane is better seem all the more petty.

[@adolfomc5643]

That’s Great add on this is what we need to enjoy the flight ✈️ enthusiasts like me. I love all of them. For me it’s doesn’t make sense to choose one among the three of them because all three ( and many more ) are superb.

[@pilot.sergio4]

While no aircraft will ever be perfect, I am still personally excited for this add on. I mean iFly still does not have a release date for it so that is always a positive. They could have watched this video and are working on a lot of those fixes right now. Regardless it will be a day one buy for me.

[@randyjones9726]

I think this is a great looking add-on and I'm sure the systems will be addressed in time. My issue with it is price. $70 for a single plane model is a bit much. I know PMDG also charge that amount but the 737-800 comes with a passenger version, two cargo versions and the BBJ2 for that same $70. So for me, I'm not pulling the trigger just yet.

[@mdhazeldine]

What I'm curious to know is if iFly are going to do the other variants and how they will price those. If they price them at a discount, like Fenix did with the 19/21, then it could work out cheaper overall to own all the iFlys vs all the PMDGs as PMDG annoyingly don't offer any bundle discounts.

[@randyjones9726]

@@mdhazeldine we've paid Fenix $105 for those three models and they are pretty great. I guess I shouldn't complain because I gave PMDG $77.73 for the 777. But that's the best money I've spent on a plane so far. Except for a tweak or two I'd like to see with GSX integration (like the Fenix), I think it's the king of the sim . . . at least for me.

[@ichichsen3001]

Thx for the Video. So i stay with the PMDG 737.

[@hotelpilot3112]

I agree with your assessment!

[@decimal237]

If you want systems immersion, the ifly max is not yet at PMDG level... If you want visual simulation, the ifly is better than PMDG. Personally I won't fly any aircraft that doesn't have proper systems depth and automation regardless of how good the interior cabin is.

[@elliottd323]

Yeah but the pmdg is far from perfect, the EGTs are complete wank for example

[@decimal237]

@elliottd323 The word "better" is for comparison and doesn't mean perfect or perfection. I'm not sure what is the relevance of your rebuttal. It's obvious no flight sim aircraft is "perfect" but some are "better " than others. Don't get triggered without reasoning.

[@juliashenandoah3965]

Awesome flights and reviews! After having watched a lot of flights I have noticed a few things too. The rod below the cockpit main panel shrouded by some kind of rubber looks awesome in the Prepar3D iFly 737 MAX version but looks very ugly in the MSFS version becaue in the MSFS version it seems to have no bumpmap but just that flat ugly texture. The helix cable of the cabin intercom telephone (the one in the galley below the screen that controls the cabin lightin and the screen of the .mp3 player) has some nasty graphics glitches. That´s unfortunate because from experience I know that visual glitches of any kind are NEVER getting patched in the flight simulator third party addon-world. The chances of getting the FMC patched are better, but not when it comes to VNAV problems again this is bad news because VNAV seems to be the ultimate challenge for every developer.... and therefore this might never get fixed. Having problems with the second flight plan hmmmm somehow one could live with that (because I personally never use a second flight plan and have just done this in the Fenix for learning and training purposes - without ever having that done again.) but the cockpit system perfectionist and system purist would want to have that fixed too. The external tool necessary to run the plane is not a problem because flight simulation does not really belong on consoles anyway (I might get hated for this opinion but I stay with it, flight simulation is not some kind of funny game for EVERYONE and must therefore not end up as some kind of shallow arcade and gamey fun-entertainment for the whole family because simming always was and always will be an enthusiast-level hobby used and loved (only) by real pilots and typical PC geek aircraft nerds. It is not really possible to sell flight-simming to non-aviation related guys and casual gamers because trying to open that genre up for "other new audiences" is not the end of elitist-gatekeeping but will simply not work and downgrade this hobby when trying to make it fully accessible to all non-aviation people with zero interest at all in flying and airplane technology. Only aviation enthusiasts always had and always will have interest in this very special form of entertainment - and no one else ever will. One also cannot enthrall and sell a Train Simulator or Air Traffic Controller simulator or a City Bus simulator to a bunch of Call of Duty multiplayerkids. That also will not work, no matter how hard it is tried pushed and marketed. So they really should stop trying to do this, because it is more important to please the life-long hardcore PC audience (with a superb airplane like this for example, or with what PMDG, FlyByWire, of course my favorite Black Square and many others will bring in the future) instead of trying so hard to "gamify" and open that ultrahardcore-enthusiast-niché-genre up for everyone. :) The other problems you mentioned are interesting, autothrottle issues at landing with either too fast or too slow speeds is a problem in situations with turbulence. One might end up in a stall. The Fenix solved this problem with always hugging the beginning of the red-line and almost constantly doing slight overspeed at every landing, and more or less always getting an overspeed warning whenever the flaps are lowered one more step. I hate that because real Airbus is legendary for superb automatic airspeed computing and also automatically computing correct flap speeds - but it is what it is. And the complete absence of the MCAS-system......... well I noticed that from the beginning, since the first video I wanted to see that infamous MCAS in action (not for crashing purposes of course - there are enough documentaries showing what the MCAS did to these two doomed flights, but I wanted to see how an MCAS performs in a photorealistic cockpit under normal circumstances, how it can get deactivated, hear the sounds it make and see how it is implemented into the cockpit computer systems). Keeping the infamous MCAS out of this plane simulation surely has some real-world related reasons. I hope it gets implemented some day for realism reasons simply because the real 737 has the MCAS to prevent the nose from pitching up when adding power to the engines and make it´s flight dynamics more stable and fly-by-wire like.

[@josephkrol8330]

I honestly think the expansion of MSFS to be something for everyone, even on console, is a good thing. From a business perspective, Microsoft is more likely to keep renewing the series and financing improvements if the simulator appeals to a wide audience. And who knows, a console player who gets their start on their Xbox might grow to become a serious hobbyist on their computer one day. Furthermore, if one wants a simmer’s sim, there is always X-plane, even if it is graphically inferior most of the time.

[@tubzvermeulen]

Thanks for the Video

[@mrm0508]

Thanks for the review, very helpful. A few thinks make the aircraft a non-starter for me; FMC, VNAV, and requiring an external app. Price point is way too high with those problems, especially with the (7) other 737's I already have, there's no value added (I couldn't care less about cabin detail stuff)

[@A330Driver]

I feel you. Wish they priced it somewhat lower as well, especially considering that anyone who buys the new sim for the same money will get a MAX “for free” with it.

[@m4nu507]

I don’t have this addon but i was really curious if they could simulate how slippery this aircraft is in real life. If you say the aircraft always ends up too fast and has a hard time staying on path and speed even with the descent winds loaded this is the most realistic MAX simulation there is lol. Managing the energy on the max is a real pain in the ass. Also when configuring for landing you find yourself having to drop the gear 12+ miles out more often than not. Curious how they simulated the speedbrakes as well as they are way less effective compared to the NG.

[@deemdeem5916]

If you buy PMDG products you are guaranteed to receive decent, playable product with minimum amount of bugs and further support . This is constant which I understood for 18 years of sim flying. Regarding iFly aircraft - at the moment it is absolutely not acceptable for me bcos AT cant handle properly even 2x acceleration rate. I found interesting its soundpack in comparison to PMDG 737. However it is definitely not better than PMDG 777. Also I see 37 fps inside iFly flights deck, and constant stuttering on approach, against 45 fps inside PMDG cockpit. Thank you very much for pre-release access, but I’d rather stick to my old buddy

[@yelkhettar]

What are you using to move around like that in the cockpit?

[@jacklimbhd8431]

I think it’s a great aircraft and I’ve worked with them for years, well done ifly and look forward to future updates. Don’t think people respect this is actually a pre-release 😂 and not final

[@A330Driver]

It sure is a great aircraft, an excellent one indeed. The problem is, they only communicated it to be an early access a couple hours before release. The typical hyping by the community had risen the expectations to FL410 and when they released it as early access they got their rapid recompression and went back down to FL100. That could have been avoided by better marketing and setting the expectations right from the beginning on.

[@jacklimbhd8431]

@@A330Driver 100% agree sir, good point 👍

[@Grizzly50450]

So here is how I feel after seeing all of this unfold, I would have purchased this plane even with all the slight problems you pointed out IF they had been able to take a little criticism. The shit talking and all that just turns me off from the company in general and now I’ll never purchase it. Same situation with the e-jets…

[@conaly082]

Mind: It's NOT the iFly-developers, that can't take the criticism, they gladly take any bug reports they get. It's mostly some fanboys in the respective Discord servers or on Reddit, that take anything way too personal.

[@GrizzlyBearSims]

I've been flying home based sims since the early 80's and of course I remember when iFly beat PMDG when they released the 737NG many years ago in the FSX days. I think iFly released their version a few weeks before PMDG. I purchased the iFly and used it for those few weeks, but moved to PMDG once it released and never used the iFly again. For me, I'm not planning on making this mistake again. I will hold out and patiently wait for PMDG to release their MAX.

[@scottberge6286]

PMDG already announced they sidelined their work on the MAX and in the PMDG world that means it’s a few years out.

[@77GolfXray]

I agree, it’s crazy how many people are shilling this aircraft because of a few gimmicks like window shades and a functional lavatory when it’s no where near the real thing in terms of system depth. I want to fly, now sit in the cabin like a passenger. People can continue to hate on the PMDG 737NG but it will always be more realistic than this. I’m happy with my Fenix A321 and PMDG 737 so I think I’ll hold off as well.

[@mdhazeldine]

By the time PMDG releases their version (could be a year away), iFly will have had plenty of time to iron out the bugs and enhance the systems, so I'm not sure the difference between them is going to be that huge.

[@ishiddddd4783]

they have priority at the time on their 777F and 747-100, don't expect the MAX from them to be out in a long time

[@countryflyboy8255]

Ill just wait for pmdg.. theyll have one available in a couple years.

[@saren6538]

Good overview let’s hope that I fly take this on board, and improve on things as mentioned so many developers makes such a good aircraft and then all of a sudden just stop and never make it any better. I mean if PMDG can’t get it right after all this time what chances has I fly

[@wayne9638]

love these videos you have honesty and integrity and not a fan boy just after the highest realism like any hard core simmer

[@frap9965]

Btw Emi compare the cockpit 3D model to the real life max you will be shocked. This is an ongoing talk in the discord and they are trying to water it down. It’s totally disproportionate and out of scale. There are threads in the discord about that and even real max pilot have noticed the poor cockpit 3D model. It’s a cabin simulator at this point. I can’t believe this is being compared to pmdg.

[@A330Driver]

Mmmh, I did notice the windows looked somewhat odd and the switches to have a slightly different dimension than PMDGs, though I never commented on it since it’s been a year and a half since I flew the plane, so constantly seeing the PMDG might have blurred my memory a little. I’ll check the plethora of photos I took when I flew the plane 😄

[@michaelf7990]

Nice. As RL pilot I'm always amused about the virtual fan boys. So let's keep it as usual: pilots do it better😅

[@A330Driver]

Haha, I feel you. That’s of course not to say that there would be no room for improvement and no mistakes, but yep there’s certain situations where you just sit there and want to smack your head into the table 😅

[@ClayunderSeal]

Lets see what the released Version brings to the table, i hope to see an opinion then! :)

[@davidathay3680]

So, would you say the iFly Max is to the PMDG 737 what the iniBuilds A320 NEO is to the Fenix? Or is it better than that? I've been looking forward to this one for a long time. They've been taking their time on it, so it really surprised me when they released it like this. There's no such thing as a "pre-release" release... It's out there, for sale, to anyone who cares to buy it. Every good developer updates their products, so nothing is ever truly "finished." I'll probably go buy it, because for some reason I really like US transcons and a MAX will do those a little better than an -800. I hope they'll continue to work on the shortcomings. But it seems like you found it to be pretty usable as-is. Curious to see how the VNAV does in descent- as you know, IRL the MAX is a bit more slippery than the NG. That wing and those engines want to haul a full load up to FL360 and stay there all day. They want to fly, and they hate to UN-fly. I wonder if the extra thrust you observed on final is due to modeling the way the spoilers automatically crack open to help mimic the handling characteristics of the NG...

[@A330Driver]

I’d say the iFly is better than that. The only xtra thrust shouldn’t be due to the LAM, that should already be factored into the pitch/power values published.

[@davidathay3680]

@@A330Driver One proper flight down so far- only thing I noticed on descent was it transitioned from Mach to IAS a bit too soon- had .78/290 set in the descent page, and it jumped up to 290 when 290 was still about .795 and awfully close to the barber pole. Biggest problem I had was lateral stability in cruise at 2x and 4x sim rate- 4x didn't work at all, and even at 2x I had to keep an eye on it. I REALLY hope they fix that soon... I didn't buy this airplane for short hauls.

[@EllisonHonigman]

I noticed you recently switched from current to former 737 pilot what happened there? Retired?

[@A330Driver]

I’m flying the A330 now :)

[@Lonsome1223]

As a casual simmer i liked the PMDG 737 and 777 because under FS actions i could load a payload and fuel that would calculate my gross weight CoG trim v speeds etc automatically. Does this have the same.

[@A330Driver]

You can get the CG from the W&B page in the EFB.

[@banditdd7343]

Emanuel, thank you very much for this video and sober assessment of this aircraft! But I still have a question and I wrote about it earlier. What can you say about the dimensions and geometry of the cockpit? In my opinion the dimensions are wrong, but the best way to know what is correct is to hear from a pilot who has flown this plane.

[@A330Driver]

Hi, it’s just a feeling that I can neither confirm nor deny at the moment but the windows seem a little small to me.

[@agamemnon7461]

Last week everyone took off from Cancun and landed in Tampa 😅

[@erikhany4486]

I will not buy it until the VNAV bug is fixed. But when it is fixed, I am ready to buy. 👍

[@stevebarker257]

Well said.

[@markjackson5333]

So is this worth buying as of now ?

[@Izmael1310]

If I buy the ifly max when it releases - is it going to work in new sim as well without upgrade fee? Cant find info about this. I have no desire to buy this twice for msfs20 and 24 lol.

[@mdhazeldine]

I reckon Ryanair fired you for being too good at landings. You can even butter it while doing a video sign off!! haha.

[@A330Driver]

😂😂😂

[@gwalker3092]

The visuals and sounds are probably the best by small margin above fenix/PMDG. As you said the systems need some work in places but it’s a great foundation for future fixes and updates. The lack of charts / Navigraph etc has been glossed over by other reviewers when it’s an important point you have made. It has some very nice touches and clearly top tier product in msfs2020 and can only get better. I’ve enjoyed your videos on this plane but I don’t really fly Boeings much anymore. I really enjoy the PMDG 777 and fly this on long routes where existing Airbus carnt manage. Nothing against Boeing but I’ve invested all my time, study and hardware etc towards Airbus now. With 380 and 350 coming as well it will mean even less use for 777

[@simFly4K]

Do you change some sensivity in sim of your Boeing Yoke or you stay with std settings?

[@A330Driver]

I stick to the standard settings.

[@simFly4K]

@@A330Driver thx a lot for your answer. Best regards and się you at vatsim maybe

[@MrMuster70]

besides the technical issues you mentioned I miss a nice wingflex😉

[@A330Driver]

That’s one of those things I barely ever look at 😅 Whenever the wings flex it’s usually a good time to be in the cockpit. Either during turbulence or during taxi 😂

[@TheSoldier718]

Wait till people actually get their hands on it and start complaining about the systems but for now since only a limit amount of people fly it and really just show case the graphics

[@darewell7776]

What about the rudder secondary effect, is it implemented?

[@LederhosenCharly]

I dont need all of these cabine firlefanz i wanna fly and i m in the cockpit 99% of the time.

[@jarekp4421]

Thank you very much for the fair review, great video as always. I am really disappointed in the lack of support of simrate compression above 2x. Have you heard from developers anything about possible improvements here?

[@emiljohansson8435]

The sim has support to teleport in the flightplan (if you plan with the built in planner…) that would nice to implement properly for all planes… it is a bit buggy last time I tried it…

[@jarekp4421]

@@emiljohansson8435 Proper teleport function needs also to adjust time and fuel. I programmed something like that long time ago for Xplane 11, but never had time to do it for MSFS. Partly because I am afraid I can’t adjust fuel in Fenix and likely in Max, but partly due to lack of time. Maybe I should finally give it a try.

[@KBNOtaku]

How are the FPS compared to PMDG and FENIX?

[@A330Driver]

On my system all three run at the maximum I limited them at (57 as I have a 60hz monitor)

[@citylimitsphoto]

When does this release?

[@adnan-i8d8l]

Please can you tell me how I install this addon? Im trying everything, and cant find anything on where to install it. All I see are these reviewvideos.

[@A330Driver]

It’s not released yet.

[@adnan-i8d8l]

@@A330Driver Wait if its not released how are so many people flying it? Ive been wanting to learn the 737 for so long now and your videos helped me alot with the a320.

[@Makii31]

Loved the Ryanair comment 😂

[@juancho420]

Looks good but kinda bummed they didn't consider the MAX 9 also.

[@A330Driver]

I wouldn’t assume they didn’t consider a MAX -9. Indeed I am quite certain they will make one. Just not yet.

[@tomstravels520]

@@A330Drivergot to make sure those doors don’t come off mid flight

[@tk64681]

So 777 vs 737max which one would you take? I was going to get the 777 but now that the MAX is about to come out I’m not sure which one to get. Not sure how iFly is with documentation but this is a must for me I’m not at the level where I can jump in and fly where ever I want so I rely on tutorial flights PMDG has these iFly not sure.

[@aadvantagegold5220]

I'd get the 777. It's a lot more polished at the moment; the MAX is gonna need a few updates.

[@Atlasworkinprogress]

Do you already have the PMDG 737NG in any form? If so, then go for the 777. There isn't any super big operational differences between the NG and the MAX. Also with Working Title involved in the avionics, launch of 2024 should have a pretty decent MAX8 (of similar quality to the AAU2 748 and 789).

[@mdhazeldine]

I think it depends on what type of flights you like to do, right? If you like long haul, sitting in cruise for hours on end, get the 777. If you like short hops, get the MAX. I guess you can always speed the sim up, but for me that doesn't seem as appealing as real-time flights that are shorter.

[@holobolo1661]

10:34 they let you go because your landings are too smooth, didn't they

[@A330Driver]

😂😂😂

[@philipplazarou981]

What is the date of release of this plane?

[@A330Driver]

There is none published

[@OneAviation]

Nice

[@simnomad]

Where is the VSD?

[@A330Driver]

Use the EFIS CP. there’s a dedicated button now.

[@tvfd-thevirtualflightdispa978]

So I have questions: Did VNAV get you high on profile, low on profile or both? Given your comment about the engines, it makes me wonder if there is a mismatch between engine power and the automation (trying to slow down and speed up causing you to miss crossing points?) When you talk about pitch issues, is this a pitch up on climb that MCAS is supposed to correct but doesn’t if it isn’t modeled? I heard another pilot needing to do some binding of keys to do the stab trim disconnect procedure, which led me to believe that MCAS was modeled. I am interested to know what it does and doesn’t do rather than listen to hype. So far I am with you, it is difficult to say this is better than PMDG since that is highly subjective, but if the bugs get worked out, it can be a strong player.

[@A330Driver]

Usually it gets me high on energy. I don’t think the engines are related, in fact they spool much quicker than they should which means if they have an influence at all, they would cause the AFDS to have better control over the plane than it should have. In regards to the lack of MCAS, I think they did not include it due to a simplification of the flight model. Their model simply does not need the effects the STS and MCAS would have on the real plane.

[@Aleksandar6ix]

This isn't even released or fully updated yet...I'm sure these weaknesses are cleared. Maybe it'll become so good, pmdg's project could be pointless by the time they come out. This and even Fenix have so many little extras with excellent audio, it makes pmdg product seem boring by comparison, no matter how 'technically' good they are.

[@PilotTeofilo]

Excellent and realistic review of the product! hope iFly narrows down the different issues with the aircraft specially the VNAV issues and modifying a FP inside the FMC and for it not calculating the VNAV path etc.. That's is a big issue that I hope they solve.

[@A330Driver]

Thank you very much! I’m sure they’ll work on all that stuff.

[@learjet55c]

typical former landings :D rofl. No you did better :D great video thanks captain

[@mehmetyldrm7856]

Where can i purchase ifly737 max?

[@A330Driver]

Once it’s released via flight1.com

[@pm110978]

I would wait a bit

[@herrhornbuckele5227]

5:59 why is that such a big issue? Either you are on PC, in which case why care? Or you're on Xbox, so the plane is out of consideration for you anyway.

[@A330Driver]

Because a large amount of customers only purchase from marketplace and refuse to buy from anywhere else. That means less sales which in turn means less money for updates and new developments and therefore ultimately means lower quality products for all of us to enjoy. Even if you’re on PC, marketplace won’t allow addons that depend on external tools, that’s why the Fenix is not available in it.

[@herrhornbuckele5227]

@A330Driver yeah sure but I'm not sure how valid that conclusion no marketplace --> less money --> worse product is. Like you say, it's the same for Fenix. For my part I couldn't care less about marketplace availability and I'm not really concerned about the cash flow the developer misses out on.

[@TwitchGavi]

F iFly’s discord, your opinion is the biggest opinion. You’re literally a former 737 pilot, I don’t get how someone can say you’re lying. Absolutely disgusting how you are treated from others discords. Please keep giving your honest reviews on new aircraft as it helps me decide whether i should by or not.

[@A330Driver]

Cut this down to their discord, not iFly themselves. They could use some better moderation but the company and developers themselves seem quite appreciative of the content I produce. It’s only the typical haters that gather on their discord that act like idiots.

[@TwitchGavi]

@@A330Driver didnt know that, thanks for clarifying. I was so angry with TFDI and how they treated you, I assumed ifly was doing the same.

[@Morst434]

Thanks for review. Another max pilot - Fd2sim was very positive about the vnav descent and speed management in his latest Two- sektor stream.

[@A330Driver]

Best if you make your own decision. Check out all the streams available and then see how accurate it flies. Make the judgement from there.

[@Morst434]

@@A330Driver not a pilot - so Nice to see reviews from the professionels. Will do 👍.

[@flyguy7287]

Nicely balanced review of this fine aircraft. It looks beautiful, sounds amazing, is great for the majority of simmers and is a pre-release so room for iFly to make some amendments to the VNAV functionality and some systems tweaks, like engine spool up. Other than that, great product and likely no.3 after the PMDG and Fenix products. Thanks for taking us along for the ride Emmanuel. I’ve never flown the 737 but always good to get the feedback of a rated pilot! 😉

[@A330Driver]

Thank you very much!

[@PD-ws4td]

Shouldn't your name be A330 Flier?

[@Hopelek]

Any chance you'll take a look at the a330 from LVFR

[@A330Driver]

Not any time soon, sorry. We’ve had our fun with their latest Airbus release. Once I’m back from my current trip (in a week… won a 7 day trip from my standby) we will certainly have a look at the ToLiss A330-900!

[@mdhazeldine]

@@A330Driver that's disappointing. I was really hoping you'd take a look at it and compare it to the Aerosoft version. Perhaps once 2024 is out and we get the iniBuilds one, you could do a mega A330 review, looking at all 4 versions and discuss which ones are for which people and what you recommend?

[@deemdeem5916]

Never seen such an aggressive marketing for such a mediocre product

[@smithkenny8034]

[@cesaralbertohuanquivalcarc2646]

like number 1000 is mine,, whats my gift?

[@A330Driver]

Here’s the internets best cookie, just for you 🍪

[@TommyFink-y6c]

Bosco Groves

[@maltimoto]

External Tool = Doesn't run on Linux. Too bad...

[@A330Driver]

MSFS can run on Linux?

[@maltimoto]

@@A330Driver yes sure....with Steam (Linux)

[@williamwidjaja850]

Save tampa