PMDG 737, 747, Airbus X Extended, which is hardest to fly?

[captain420 3,099]

Out of those 3 planes, which do you guys think is the most difficult to get up and running? I am still learning a lot of new things with the 737 NGX, since that is the plane I fly in mostly. The other 2 I have messed around with a bit but didn't invest a whole lot of time in learning to fly. Especially the Airbus X Extended, since I am using an xbox controller to fly, it doesn't seem to even work with advancing the throttles. I want to master the 737 NGX and then the 747. Is the 747 easier to fly once you master the 737 or is it the other way around? 

 

I'd like to hear everyone's input concerning the order of difficulty with these 3 planes. Usually I'd like to start with the most difficult one and once I learn that, it'll be a piece of came to fly the others. That's if they all work similarly.

 

One last question, but I know the PMDG 777 isn't out yet. But how easy or difficult is the 777 to operate compared to the 737, 747, Airbus X Extended?

 

[Sunaru 12]

First of all -and this is said with the utmost of politeness and advisory tone-, I think you should consider the purchase of a joystick if you haven't done so yet. Although you can use an Xbox controller, you're missing out hugely on immersion and general enjoyment if you don't at least have a joystick with twist-rudder and throttle levers. I wouldn't even suggest this if you weren't asking for detailed planes, but seeing as you are, I'm assuming you'd take the simulation aspect as serious as you can. I also think the "if I can master the hardest one, I can master them all" theory goes flying out the window with planes seeing as they're all pretty hard (if modeled correctly), and they're not all sharing the same commonality (a 737 not having the same systems as a 747 and totally different ones from the A320). You get certified for "families" of planes in the real world, and this is for good reason!

As a result, there's no real "easier" option between the 737 and the 747. They're both fully modeled by the people at PMDG with every possible thing you can imagine. Both planes also have radically different "problems" to master due to all kinds of factors. A 747 is a big lumbering beast while a 737 is a (comparatively) smaller plane, just to name the most glaring difference. Airbus planes make it even more different with protections, fly-by-wire controls and so on. 

Simulation wise though, the Airbus X Extended is probably going to be the easiest plane from the three, merely because it only simulates day to day operations and no failures whatsoever. Plus, the protections and such make it a more ... robust aircraft than the PMDG offerings. As far as PMDG is concerned, the 3 you list are all Boeings, so even though they're not fully the same, they're going to feel more familiar. I'd have to wager the 747x is probably the "hardest" because of size and older cockpit systems. The 777 will probably be right after that, and then the 737NGX.

I'm sure more experienced people with more knowledge will be able to give a better reply though!  ^_^

[Don t moderate me this way 882]

Most difficult: 737 (less automation, no synoptics displays)

Much easier: 744 (more automation, synoptics)

Even easier: 777 (cleaner, more intuitive pilots' interface than the 744)

 

Airbus 320/321: It's a different world; can't rank it with Boeings - pilots fly Boeings; Airbus computers fly pilots (no kidding!!!)

[Sunaru 12]

No synoptic displays? On the 737NGX? What?

[Don t moderate me this way 882]

Mainly gauges bundled into displays - the only near-synoptic display, as far as I remember (see my sig, lol!) is the flight controls representation on the status page.

[captain420 3,099]

Thanks for all the great and detailed answers. I kinda expected the 777 would be the easiest to learn out if the beings since its the newest, and then the 737 and 747 being most difficult due to its size and avionics being much older than the others.

 

I do wish to take the my simming experience to the next level and invest in better equipment, but at the moment I can't afford it. Can I just by a joystick? Or do I really need a yoke and pedals, rudders too? I fly mostly commercial airliners and once I awhile I'll do some general aviation and helicopters as well. So I'd like to have variety and fly a little of everything from war birds to commercial to bush flying and helicopters. What equipment do you guys recommend that would cover all those within a reasonable amount of money? Last time I saw joysticks and stuff for flight sims, they were quite expensive, which is why I never looked into it.

[Sunaru 12]

Unless I'm missing something here and PMDG released a classic series 737, their 737NGX is actually the most modern of all 3 planes, followed by the 777 and then the 747. As far as joysticks are concerned, just getting yourself a €49 joystick with rudder twist and throttle lever would already do a lot for the realism. Yokes and stuff are of course even more immersive, but if you're on a budget something like the F.L.Y. 5 will do nicely.  ^_^

[Airbus Commander 563]

Airbus 320/321: It's a different world; can't rank it with Boeings - pilots fly Boeings; Airbus computers fly pilots (no kidding!!!)

Oh is that so? I must have been doing something wrong then for the last 19 years...  Explain to me why it is you think that?  :huh:

 

Regards,

Ró.

[KingGhidorah 209]

The question asked was which is easiest to fly, but am I correct that what was really meant was what would be the easiest to learn?  If you are already familiar with the ngx, then I would say the 747 would be a very quick transition.  If you are like me and don't know anything about an Airbus, then I would suppose that would have the biggest learning curve.  I have many FSX Boeings, but I'm waiting for the FSL a320, and I'm guessing that will probably be the "hardest" plane I've ever set eyes upon, on par with the FSL Concorde even. 

[PIC007 82]

Oh is that so? I must have been doing something wrong then for the last 19 years... Explain to me why it is you think that? :huh:

 

Regards,

Ró.

We all know you can fly Scarebuses with just 3 buttons... TAKEOFF-CRUISE-LAND The trick is staying awake :-)

[justinxfan 4]

The Airbus X requires a throttle which sucks.

[RWFeldman 159]

The Airbus X requires a throttle which sucks.

Agree. NGX is so simple a Caveman could fly it!

[elche 5]

We all know you can fly Scarebuses with just 3 buttons... TAKEOFF-CRUISE-LAND The trick is staying awake :-)

LOL!

[mganz121 159]

Whoa !

 

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

 

[kohanjj 0]

Can I just by a joystick? Or do I really need a yoke and pedals, rudders too? I fly mostly commercial airliners and once I awhile I'll do some general aviation and helicopters as well. So I'd like to have variety and fly a little of everything from war birds to commercial to bush flying and helicopters. What equipment do you guys recommend that would cover all those within a reasonable amount of money? Last time I saw joysticks and stuff for flight sims, they were quite expensive, which is why I never looked into it.

 

Re: Joystick

 

I do not consider myself a hardcore flight sim realist, but I have been into sims since the subLogic days.  I mostly fly for fun these days, when I'm not working, I'm running a VA, and with what time remains I run everything from FSX to Rise of Flight to all of the DCS series.  In terms of hardware, I use a Logitech Extreme 3D Pro joystick.  It's got a throttle, the handle twists to act as your rudder pedals, and there are 12 programmable buttons you can setup to act as common commands (but I haven't even done that).  Just did a quick search on Best Buy website, and it's listed at $34.99.

 

There are scores of more realistic options out there, but I 1) didn't want to spend the funds for the yoke, throttle controls, and rudder pedals, 2) this is much simpler to get setup when I get to fly (my flight sim PC shares a desk with my work desktop and my work laptop, so having to tear down / setup all that hardware if I want to catch a quick flight really isn't an option).