FSX B737 Payware Aircraft

[AUPilotAU 0]

I have been looking to buy a good B737 for FSX lately. All I can find is the upcoming project at PMDG that will come out sometime later this year. Is there an alternative until that plane comes out? I'm looking for one with a good FMC. Thanks!

[dighost 25]

There are only two options that I am aware of. The 737 PIC from Wilco (wilcopub.com) and the Ariane 737. The 737 PIC is pretty good, although it shows signs of age. It is detailed, although not as in depth as say something from PMDG or Captain Sim. I don't have anything nice to say about the Ariane developer (IMO), (just do some searches). The model looks fine and is in depth, but is very expensive and does not near the quality as the said PMDG.

[Chock 17,769]

You've basically got four choices - soon to be five. In no particular order of merit, here's your options...You can wait for the PMDG 737NG FSX version: The wait is likely to be a few months (some point in 2010 is the projected release date) but when it shows up, it will almost certainly be the best one you can get. Most simmers are awaiting this one with great anticipation.You can spend a lot on the Ariane 737NG and have one for FSX now: It's pricey and activation can be a drawn out process (it is via email), but when you do eventually get it going, it is very good. It does not feature everything you'd find on a real NG, but there is enough there to make it fun and usable, although given the price, it is on borrowed time as the PMDG offering draws nearer, so I would speculate that the price might come down when the PMDG NG is released. The saving grace for the Ariane 737NG may then be that it does get fantastic frame rates for what is a reasonably complex simulation and it is fun to fly. Ariane are also working on a newer version of their 737 series, although beyond that, there is no information as to what it will be or what price it is likely to be, so that's not a sixth option worth considering at the moment. Ariane are not the devils many portray them to be, but their pricing and aloof PR might lead you to think so.You can go for the Wilco/PIC 737 and fly a classic as opposed to an NG: This is an excellent add on, and good value too, since you get three variants of the classic 737 (300, 400 and 500 series aircraft). Whilst not quite as pretty as the Ariane (either inside or out), it is actually a little bit more functional and like the Ariane, it flies beautifully. An advantage the Wilco/PIC 737 has though, is that it has a number of dedicated payware add-ons that are available for it, including a co-pilot and a career simulation based around the FSX missions system. On the whole, the Wilco/PIC 737 represents the best value if you want a 737 for FSX, and is worth serious consideration. Great bang for your bucks.You can soup up the default 737: Not as silly as it might sound, with something like Integrated SimAvionics (payware) instruments, it is actually possible to make the default FSX 737 quite a complex bird, and with tweaks to the config files to add more avionics and such, plus third party 2D panels, the default FSX 737 can scrub up quite nicely.You can find a freeware 737 and soup that up: Sort of similar to tarting up the default 737, there are a few 737s kicking about on the net (such as from Project Open Sky) that can be souped up with additional avionics. This will probably get you something better than the default FSX 737 with a similar treatment.Of all the above options, I would recommend going for the Wilco/PIC 737. It is cheaper than the Ariane, but despite the lower cost, certainly more than on par with it in the grand scheme of things, and the advantage it has over the Ariane NG, is that when the PMDG 737NG shows up, the Wilco/PIC will not be redundant, since it is a different 737 series from what PMDG are modeling, meaning it will still serve a purpose in your hangar. That would leave only the 100, 200 and 200ADV series 737 as the ones we won't have for FSX, and with a bit of luck, the Tin Mouse version 2 737-200 might eventually show up for FSX, solving that issue!There are Avsim reviews of the Wilco and Ariane 737s, and they might help you make a choice, but if I were you, I'd get the Wilco one, and then if you win the lottery next week, get the Ariane one too whilst you await that PMDG!Hope that helps - Al

[AUPilotAU 0]

Thank you both for the responses. I am checking them out as I write. Much appreciated!!

[Guest 413X3]

What ever happened with the promise of SIDSTARs for Arianes airplane? I would actually fork out that money to fly an NG if only it had a realistic fmc and vnav/lnav

[Chock 17,769]

Still in the pipeline apparently, but one suspects quite a long way down that pipeline. It's my guess that a lot of what Ariane will do is likely to be dictated by the release of PMDG's 737, and I reckon they might pull that Nav Data Manager out of the bag as a USP when the PMDG shows up. If it was me, that's certainly what I'd do anyway, as that capability for an Ariane 737 would have the potential to attract customers.Since Ariane are actually making a new 737 (or at least that's what I heard), they may choose to include that NDM with their X4 version, which would be disappointing since it is supposed to be coming for the X3, but it's anybody's guess at the minute; the last update on Ariane's site was a long time ago regarding the matter (December 23 last year).Something of a moot point for me at the minute however, as I've still not had a reply to my activation request for my Ariane 737-900ERNG for FSX when I attempted to reinstall it a couple of weeks ago.Al

[Guest 413X3]

that's too bad I want nothing more than to fly short hops in an NG. Almost as bad as I want the dreamfleet 727 for fsx!!!

[axelb9 0]

Sorry for digging out this older thread - however it is exactly the same topic I was looking for. I wanted to ask what do people fly these days until the PMDG NGX is coming out if they would want to fly say a 737-700 with reasonable detail?These are the most popular aircraft on Earth yet there is simply no choice...I would be ready to fork out for Ariane however the almost total lack of liveries for them are really offputting. I was looking for a Malev 737-700 - it seems that since the McPhat liveries were pulled from the market Ariane was unable to substitute them in ayn ways...Any suggestions for a Malev 737-700?Thanks,Alex

[Chock 17,769]

A word of caution here. Ariane have a brand new FSX 737-700ER out (it's only been on sale for a week) but it currently needs a patch to sort out a glitch on its throttle which makes the engines run away uncontrollably once you pass 20,000 feet. They are currently working on patching it and almost certainly will fix the issue, but if you buy it now, it probably will exhibit that bug and lead to disappointment until it is fixed. That is the X2.5 version. Their older X2 version of the 700 does not have that problem, but it does not have the EGPWS function of the X2.5, so be careful about what you are looking at and make your decisions in that knowledge.Ariane's FSX 737s are for the most part pretty good (certainly on the FPS you get, which is excellent), but their customer service is not the best in the world, so be aware that their products can occasionally take quite a while to get activated (that's via an email process, and it can sometimes be slow). If you want to know exactly what their aircraft do and do not include, then I suggest you read the Avsim review of the Ariane FSX 737-900ER which I wrote last year, as it covers what all their X2 FSX versions are like. the only real gripe with them is the FMC SID/STAR database, which is a bit patchy on coverage for quite a few airports, so if you like flying SIDs and STARs, then be aware of that. It's not an insurmountable problem with a bit of effort on your part (I explain how you can get around it in that review), but it is there. Also be aware that if you want a particular paint job, you might end up having to do it yourself, and since there is no paint kit, that can involve a fair bit of fancy footwork in Photoshop. It's not impossible, but it isn't a five minute job.If you cannot wait for the PMDG NG, then Ariane is your only other port of call for an NG in FSX. However, if you are prepared to widen your horizons a little, there is the PIC/Wilco 737 Series, which are Classics as opposed to NGs (i.e the 300, 400 and 500 variants). These are pretty good and worth having even if you do still want an NG, so I'd certainly look into that too if I were you.An outside shot is the Aerosim FS9 737-200, which can be made to work in FSX if you are prepared to alter the config file and swap out all the instruments for FSX gauges. That is a bit tedious to do, but I know it definitely is possible, because I have done that myself.Beyond that, there are a few freeware NGs kicking about that vary in quality and compatibility with FSX, and for the most part you will probably find youself having to add an FMC to get them behaving like a NG really should. That's not impossible to do, but again, it's not a five minute job. On the plus side, you can't get disappointed about the price of freeware stuff :-) You could always soup up the default FSX 737 as well, which actually isn't a bad option if you are prepared to do a bit of work. It scrubs up pretty well if you add a few more complex gauges and an FMC. If you want to do that, I suggest you look into ISG (Integrated Sim Avionics) payware gauges, which are really excellent for that kind of customising malarkey, and even though the ISG gauges are payware, it would end up being the cheapest option to get a half decent NG.Also be on the lookout for the forthcoming I-Fly 737-600, which looks like it might be pretty good, although we'll have to wait and see.Al

[axelb9 0]

Thanks Alan,I am not afraid of config file manipulations or indeed adding ISG stuff (which I own) however I want a good selection of liveries - especially a Malev for a 737-700. It is unforgiveable that Ariane does not have a wide selection of liveries available. If only the McPhat stuff would still be available I would be set. I have decided a long time ago that the only arena of flightsim tweaking that I am not going to enter is livery painting and photoshop work.Alex

[Chock 17,769]

Unfortunately, that is rather a limitation where Ariane are concerned, since even if you did not want to paint one yourself, there is usually someone who will have a crack at it for you, but in the case of Ariane, there is no paint kit, so it limits the options. However, if you do decide get that Ariane 700 you can PM me if you like and I'll do a Malev repaint for you if you like, since I've got a white base texture for the thing which I created myself. But, don't let that offer alone tempt you into buying it, be sure you are happy to do that, because it ain't cheap.Al

[Tim_Capps 474]

The Ariane does have SIDs and STARs, IIRC, just not as many as, say, Navigraph supplies. Am I right about that? I'd check but I'm waiting for my reactivation :(

[Chock 17,769]

Yup, it does have SIDs and STARs, but the problem is not that it doesn't have as many as Navigraph in the sense that only each airport has a few, rather that some airports don't have any and other have lots. For example, if you flew from LAX to Frankfurt and back all the time in the Ariane 737 ER and never to any other airports, you might not even realise the SID and STAR database was incomplete, because both those airports are well featured with SIDs and STARs on the Ariane birds.Take a flight from EGCC to LEAM though, and there isn't a single SID or STAR for either of them. That doesn't stop me flying them manually of course, or even plotting them in the FMC as part of the route. But some people would have a seizure if you asked them to manually fly a departure or approach in their FS airliners :-) I do that all the time though, because I like actually flying the things, so the lack of a procedure for the autopilot to fly is not as big a deal to me as it evidently is to a lot of other people.Al

[axelb9 0]

Unfortunately, that is rather a limitation where Ariane are concerned, since even if you did not want to paint one yourself, there is usually someone who will have a crack at it for you, but in the case of Ariane, there is no paint kit, so it limits the options. However, if you do decide get that Ariane 700 you can PM me if you like and I'll do a Malev repaint for you if you like, since I've got a white base texture for the thing which I created myself. But, don't let that offer alone tempt you into buying it, be sure you are happy to do that, because it ain't cheap.Al

That is indeed a fantastic offer from you Al! I am going to wait for that patch you mentioned and then decide. How come they still could not tackle the activation misery is beyond me. Thy stated long time ago that they were working on a simpler automatic activation system. How long is the average wait nowadays?Alex

[Glynn 405]

HelloAriane will really have to reduce their pricing when the PMDG 737NG arrives.Having left the highend to PMDG they will then have to contend with the I-Fly 737NG which is looking very good.