Why is the PMDG B772 Worth the Price?

[ryanbatc 12,813]

After glancing at the QW $20 sale on their B752, and realizing the only tube I have that's not outdated is the B738, I think I'd like to fly something faster than the NGX. But it needs to have Navigraph support, which rules out the F18 Superbug I already own.  Since we don't have any updated bizjets (I also own the C750) which would easily cruise mid mach .8 I am starting to think harder and consider the PMDG B772.

 

But golly, it's almost $90.  Which is a lot to me because this tube thing isn't normally my type of flying.  But the max cruise is around mach .89 - that's REALLY fast!  When I fly it's online and I simulate being a bzillionaire with a private aircraft that I can fly fast fast fast.  I don't care about entering the perfect CI for pax flying.  I usually enter 80 in the B738!  I will fly with the engine/s in the green but I like to push things.  

 

You might think $90 is cheap - maybe dinner and a movie for two (something I rarely see anymore with my lovely kids around!)  But I want to know why YOU think the PMDG B772 is worth the 89 greenbacks they ask!

 

If you could be specific - maybe it's something about the failure options you enjoy, perhaps the crystal clear text on the displays is the reason you parted with the money, or maybe it's just brand loyalty!

 

My thought process is to spend less than one fourth the price and end up with a fairly "lite" but speedy B752 or drop the big dollars on the B772.

 

Calling all PMDG phan bois - win me over!

[Aamir 2,907]

For me, it's simple. It's worth $90 for the immersion.

 

There's just something about spending an hour before a flight with PFPX planning your 14 hour journey, then hopping into the cockpit with a sense of purpose! I don't know how to describe it.. Short hops make me feel a *bit* like a bus driver, but when I'm doing a 14 hour inter-con haul.. It just feels good.

 

Another point to the immersion factor is simply the astounding work PMDG have put into the sound and effects that come with the T7. No two switches sound the same, the fans, in the background, are a separate noise.. All this and a whole lot more come together to create an atmosphere that feels almost.. Plausible..

 

The fact that they've achieved that on such old, iffy code is definitely worth my $90, because nothing says money well spent like spending 14 hours at the helm of ACA15, bound for Hong Kong from Toronto, and feeling like you've genuinely arrived at your destination after securing the aircraft. 

[flyerboy 114]

Because its the Apple of Flight Simming B)

 

Chuck a PMDG label on it, and your set to go haha.

 

Serious, its a great plane (except for the 5 min freezing every 35 minutes), and cant wait for FS2CREW to come next year!!

 

In terms of long haul flying, I think its the only decent plane out there.  They do have the old 747 but that is dated now and with the 777 getting more popular it was a no brainer.

 

If your into the long haul flying then its a easy buy.  I actually think I prefer the sounds of the NGX.. am I crazy?  I do enjoy the 777 sounds also :-)

[Mike777 163]

Hi, Ryan,

 

I agree with everything Aamir said.  The PMDG 777 is by far the best 777 simulation around -- all the subtleties of the various modes work very well - different types of approaches, accurate VNAV and many other features.  I have hardly begun to delve into its failure modeling.  It is very likely the best long-haul conventional aircraft simulation there is.  For a year or so I anxiously awaited the release of the PMDG 777 not out of loyalty to PMDG but out of the great pleasure I take in flying the 777.  I'm very happy with the result!  I expect to spend any reasonable price for the 777-300ER and -200ER releases.

 

BUT: I am not sure that this is what you are looking for.  You should know that the typical cruise speed is mach .84, not .89.  It is not dramatically faster than a 738.  If you want speed, maybe you should check out the Flightsim Labs Concorde.  I don't own it and haven't flown a Concorde in a long time, but it has a very strong reputation and is a little less expensive than the PMDG 777.  And it should fly at mach 2!  Of course you aren't supposed to fly it over inhabited land areas at that speed.  Not sure what Vatsim controllers will say if you try!

 

Mike

[ryanbatc 12,813]

Thanks for the responses so far. .89 is the max speed (according to wiki article), definitely not a typical cruise speed.

[jetsflier 87]

I echo what others have said. It's $90 worth of immersion. If I buy a $25 product... then it's worth [approximately] that much immersion-wise. So, the $90 got me the top immersion in my lineup... and it shows!

[wanabflyer 53]

There is absolutely no doubt the T7 is worth the price. Having said that, if it is at the top of your comfort level price wise and you have waited this long, you might as well wait until SP1 is released, witch will have what few bugs it has, cleaned up and I think some performance improvement options similar to what they did for the NGX (I think). All rolled into one installer which I normally pay another $5 for on extended download service, because I hate installing my addons with 2 installers.

 

Regards,

[brucek 38]

Thanks for the responses so far. .89 is the max speed (according to wiki article), definitely not a typical cruise speed.

I echo the other responses regarding the PMDG T7 (also, it's ther 77W, 77L or 77F, not the -200 that I see you mentioned in the first post).

 

Just a note that may be redundant, regarding why you would cruise at M0.84 vs M0.89. Without knowing the specific numbers, you found that M0.89 is the MAX speed- I don't know the specifics, but I would think that M0.89 would be Vne, or the speed not to be exceeded. If you fly like that, even a 5 knot head-wind increment could cause you some trouble regarding the airframe integrity, and as real at the PMDG gets, don't be surprised if it crashes. There's a reason why pilots don't fly at max speed- even the B744, with another 2.5 - 5 degrees of wing sweep, wouldn't fly at M0.89, I would imagine....

 

Bruce.

[Trans_27 Pilot Chase 59]

I agree with the first post that I read under your's, Ryan.

The immersion.

 

Aside from that, the T7 is easily the best aircraft that I have ever purchased. The detail, the systems, the handling is all that I'd expect an actual 777 to have. I was on the fence for about the first 10 minutes after it was released... "90 bucks? Wow... Really?"

 

Then I clicked "submit order" and I've never looked back.

[Jeff H 63]

Is it worth $90??  I guess the answer is it is to me. My opinion is that PMDG creates some of the best AC add-ons for flight simulator.  They don't just create add-on planes, they create simulations within a simulation. 

Now if you're looking for a plane that you can jump into and be wheels up in three minutes, then you might end up frustrated and disappointed.   If, on the other hand, you use everything that it offers as a "study sim", then you are absolutely getting your money's worth.  If you enjoy learning about an aircraft and its' systems (reading manuals) as much as you do flying the plane, then it just doesn't get any better.  Money well spent.

Cheers.  :smile:

[Tatave 57]

If you love to fly airliners, learn them from top to bottom and spend an hour preparing them for a flight, you'll find your money's worth in the T7. However, if you aren't prepared to spend hours learning the systems in the sim and from the manuals, you'll probably find that it is not for you and otherwise overpriced for what you got out of it. In my opinion, it's well worth 200% of the price if you use it to its maximum potential. 

[jetsflier 87]

Is it worth $90??  I guess the answer is it is to me. My opinion is that PMDG creates some of the best AC add-ons for flight simulator.  They don't just create add-on planes, they create simulations within a simulation. 

Now if you're looking for a plane that you can jump into and be wheels up in three minutes, then you might end up frustrated and disappointed.   If, on the other hand, you use everything that it offers as a "study sim", then you are absolutely getting your money's worth.  If you enjoy learning about an aircraft and its' systems (reading manuals) as much as you do flying the plane, then it just doesn't get any better.  Money well spent.

 

Cheers.  :smile:

 

And honestly, in reply to your beginning statements, you don't have to be disappointed if you're looking for a wheels-up in 3 minutes airplane. PMDG has added such a deep level of customization without ever having to leave the sim. If you want to start Cold and Dark for the beginning run, go ahead, there's an option. If you're in a rush, choose the default setting, engines running and prepared for takeoff (aside from flaps etc.). So it caters to nearly every need, but for most other aircraft, the deep complexity option just isn't there! This aircraft allows you to work around to make sure everything is perfect to your specification.

[HansRoaming 73]

Will have to second what everyone is saying about the depth and immersion, if a big tubeliner's your thing it's more than enough of a bargain. In terms of immersion and especially the sound it's one of the best sim aircraft have ever owned. With Fs2Crew it will be amazing as you won't be one person doing the job of two although with the automation it isn't that hard for normal procedures.

 

Something you might want to consider is Aivlasoft EFB, run on a second monitor / laptop you'll be able to fly any IFR route using it, even if all you have is heading and altitude hold. 

 

 

[ryanbatc 12,813]

How's VAS usage?

 

Is there a tutorial flight?

[g_precentralis 191]

There is a tutorial flight and I found VAS usage satisfactory (didn't experienced oom so far, not even at flights longer than 15h).