Given the state of the economy, (...)

I just love the sentences that start with these words...

I agree it's to steep for me as well. To those that want them, and can afford them, that's up to them. Shouldn't though this topic be brought over to the PMDG forums?

As far as I understand, the PDFs will be exactly the same as the printed manuals. Printing them yourself may be a no-go, though - there was some talk about them being locked as part of the licensing agreement with Boeing.

If I buy a product for my computer I will print the manual if and when required. I won't be selling or giving it to anyone else. (Not just flight sim products)Besides I am not being forced into buying the official printed manuals because I can't print sections of the PDF.Can't see how boeing can be bothered. There are plenty of file sharing sites with offical boeing manuals for various airlines being hosted. Boeing don't appear to be doing anything to get them removed.

4. PMDG has stated that some of the information in the printed versions will not be included with the PDF versions that come with the aircraft. This is because some of the information in the printed manuals was expensive and difficult to acquire, so PMDG is not going to just throw this information in with a basic purchase of the software.

Well, one would hope they would include with the purchase of the aircraft all the relevant documentation needed to include FMC programming, what all the buttons, toggles, switches do and how you use them and aircraft operating weights, etc... I have seen this type of stuff included with every payware release I have bought for FS. If PMDG does not include anything but a few pages which tell you how to install it etc... and then says you must buy the manuals if you want to learn how to fly the plane properly than that's wrong big time.

Having had dealings with the printer business, (Yellow Pages) I can see how much it can cost for a professional manual with a limited run such as this. Add to that licensing fees they are probably paying Boeing, and of course their profit margin, and the cost can get quite high.

If I buy a product for my computer I will print the manual if and when required. I won't be selling or giving it to anyone else. (Not just flight sim products)

What I meant was, chances are the PDFs will be protected in such a way that you cannot print them.

Having had dealings with the printer business, (Yellow Pages) I can see how much it can cost for a professional manual with a limited run such as this. Add to that licensing fees they are probably paying Boeing, and of course their profit margin, and the cost can get quite high.

Exactly. I once looked at doing printed manuals for FS2Crew and the cost was just mind-numbing.I remember in the old days a lot of the hard-core sims came with pretty big printed manuals... sure maybe it's do-able if you're dealing in huge, huge volume, but for the little FS indie developers, it's a very tough row to hoe.

4. PMDG has stated that some of the information in the printed versions will not be included with the PDF versions that come with the aircraft. This is because some of the information in the printed manuals was expensive and difficult to acquire, so PMDG is not going to just throw this information in with a basic purchase of the software.

With the possible exception of the QRH, that is not correct. This is what they said: I can confirm for anyone concerned, that the Flight Crew Operating Manuals Vol 1 & Vol 2, plus the Flight Crew Training Manual will be included with the product in PDF format. We are still working out details on the QRH availability. I think it is likely that the only change you all will see is that we do not make these documents available as a free download from our website. This is being dictated by the people who own the manuals- and as such we shall comply- even if it isn't our first choice. (http://forum.avsim.net/topic/320127-flight-manuals-released-05dec10/page__view__findpost__p__1887779)So you won't be able to download the manuals before purchase, but they will come with the product.

The OP doesn't have a clue as to how much money can be spent on this hobby.$330 for a set of manuals? I spend more than that on a single radio head. And I have almost twice that in manuals and books.

To contextualize the perceived value/ expense of the manuals one might look to the real world, ordering manuals is something designers of Aircraft Addons do regularly and they can be expensive, as one of the pre eminent development houses PMDG have managed to make this aspect of simming as real as it gets.

With the possible exception of the QRH, that is not correct. This is what they said: I can confirm for anyone concerned, that the Flight Crew Operating Manuals Vol 1 & Vol 2, plus the Flight Crew Training Manual will be included with the product in PDF format. We are still working out details on the QRH availability. I think it is likely that the only change you all will see is that we do not make these documents available as a free download from our website. This is being dictated by the people who own the manuals- and as such we shall comply- even if it isn't our first choice. (http://forum.avsim.net/topic/320127-flight-manuals-released-05dec10/page__view__findpost__p__1887779)So you won't be able to download the manuals before purchase, but they will come with the product.

Now if this is the case than that's fair.

The price of manuals is more than I'm willing to spend. However, If the manuals  are as close as you can get to the real ones,  I'm interested in how close the simulation matches the information in the books. :) Bob.. :)

You can get those online for free you know? Except maybe for the QRH, but instead you get the flight profiles, which are specific for each airline. You could download those and print themThere's no way I'll be paying over $300 for something that is completely free for a real pilot...and for us.And even then, most simmers have someone in the aviation industry and the 737 is the most popular airplane in the world, its manuals are not that hard to find...

And even then, most simmers have someone in the aviation industry and the 737 is the most popular airplane in the world, its manuals are not that hard to find...

Are you serious?? :(

What I meant was, chances are the PDFs will be protected in such a way that you cannot print them.

Print Screen baby... lolRegarding the pricing... yeah I think they are too expensive... but airplane manuals usually are overpriced so I'm not surprised.I think my stupid Warrior III manual + checklists was probably $100 or so...I'm not buying them... but I doubt PMDG will lose sleep over it haha! I do intend to buy the NGX