iFly Jets 737 MAX8 Released

[evaamo]

Hi, I just finished my first flight with it. My impressions

Good:

- Super fast performance, even with the display sliders to "fast" it performs beautifully. It's above PMDG, performance-wise.

- Lots of airline customization options.

- In-cockpit sounds are very good.

- I couldn't find anything FMC wise that didn't work correctly. I did a quick PHNL-PHOG flight and everything performed beautifully... LNAV/VNAV, FAC/GP. 

- Hand flying " feels" good (as subjective as this may be). I have experience using the NGXu in P3D, NG3 in MSFS and Zibo.  

- Nice 3D model and repaints... (it has nice wingflex for those of you who find this important).

- I paid full price and I think it's very well priced for the value and complexity.

Not so good:

- External sounds are lacking (just a bit above Leonardo Maddog level in quality). This is not an immersion killer to me, but to some it may matter.

- No ACARS/Simbrief integration (at least yet, I'll update this post after hearing back from the developers).

- Performance calculation is done in the EFB, but it doesn't support landing performance or taking off from interceptions (at least yet, I'll update this post after hearing back from the developers).

- It uses an external app (it can also be done in the EFB ala PMDG) to configure the payload and fuel... but it didn't work for me (again, I'll update this post when I know if its a bug or a limitation).

 

Overall, I really like it. It performs great, flies great, systems wise it definitely seems complete, and the autopilot flew the departure, enroute and approach very reliably. I hope they include simbrief integration at some point, but this is not a stopper (to me).

Hope this helps!

-E

Edited December 18, 2022 by evaamo

[Steve Dra]

3 hours ago, Samaritano said:

Yep. I just noticed that. Patiently waiting for the American livery. 😊

It's available now.  I don't have a link in my sig yet to link to the Max liveries...will get that done soon.  Right now you can get them all here:

http://library.flight1.net/?cat=72

Ric did a lot of paints as well as Maxime and myself.  All the ones I planned before release are not 100% ready, but I'll work to get them out as fast as I can.   Air Canada should be next.

It was a LOT of work!  And we hope a few more painters will jump in, the paintkit is very nice and not hard to use.   Hat's off to Maxime as he did a LOT of extra work tweaking the final livery tidbits that make the paints look great!

 

[evaamo]

@Steve Dra I love the Southwest livery! Are there any plans to include AeroMexico?

Thanks!

[Steve Dra]

22 minutes ago, evaamo said:

@Steve Dra I love the Southwest livery! Are there any plans to include AeroMexico?

Thanks!

I'd like to say we'd do them all, hehe.   I have not planned AeroMexico, but will consider it when I have a few more liveries out.  If I painter her, did you have a specific registration in mind?

[evaamo]

16 minutes ago, Steve Dra said:

I'd like to say we'd do them all, hehe.   I have not planned AeroMexico, but will consider it when I have a few more liveries out.  If I painter her, did you have a specific registration in mind?

Hi Steve! Thanks for considering AM in your roadmap! There are two different liveries in use by MAX. "white tails" such as EI-GZB, which are uncommon: 

Aeromexico Boeing 737 NG / Max EI-GZB (fhoto 68022) | Airfleets aviación

and the regular livery, such as XA-DAJ:

Aircraft Photo of XA-DAJ | Boeing 737-8 Max 8 | AeroMéxico | AirHistory.net #524689

The latter is definitely the preferred one, but I wouldn't complain if you wanted to do both 😉

Thanks again!

 

[Luis Hernandez]

Looks interesting, but (so far) it's just one model. Are the MAX9 and MAX10 also considered?

[Steve Dra]

38 minutes ago, evaamo said:

Hi Steve! Thanks for considering AM in your roadmap! There are two different liveries in use by MAX. "white tails" such as EI-GZB, which are uncommon: 

Aeromexico Boeing 737 NG / Max EI-GZB (fhoto 68022) | Airfleets aviación

and the regular livery, such as XA-DAJ:

Aircraft Photo of XA-DAJ | Boeing 737-8 Max 8 | AeroMéxico | AirHistory.net #524689

The latter is definitely the preferred one, but I wouldn't complain if you wanted to do both 😉

Thanks again!

 

LOL...the white tail you show is wearing Norwegian winglets (with the inner sides blanked white with the gray AeroMexico logo.)  I imagine she was leased/bought from NRO?  I painted Norwegian so I already have the winglets.....hmmmm. 🙂

 

[evaamo]

1 hour ago, Steve Dra said:

LOL...the white tail you show is wearing Norwegian winglets (with the inner sides blanked white with the gray AeroMexico logo.)  I imagine she was leased/bought from NRO?  I painted Norwegian so I already have the winglets.....hmmmm. 🙂

 

Hi Steve! Nice catch! AFAIK this one (among other 4 or 5 don't remember the number exactly) were intended to go to Norwegian but were not taken by the airline. Looking great btw!

[evaamo]

Follow-up to my original post:

- Landing performance calculations work. On my two recent flights I was unable to reproduce whatever kept me from using the EFB for that. All OK now.

- The external app works when P3D is not running, I still don't know whether it should load fuel and payload when the sim is running. Will report back if I hear from developers.

- I will ask the developer if it is possible to increase the refresh rate of the PFD. Even at its fastest setting, I feel it is a bit laggy. Does anyone else think the same?.

 

[threexgreen]

9 hours ago, evaamo said:

Hi, I just finished my first flight with it. My impressions

How is the taxi behavior with regards to friction and thrust?

[Steve Dra]

9 hours ago, evaamo said:

Hi Steve! Thanks for considering AM in your roadmap! There are two different liveries in use by MAX. "white tails" such as EI-GZB, which are uncommon: 

Aeromexico Boeing 737 NG / Max EI-GZB (fhoto 68022) | Airfleets aviación

and the regular livery, such as XA-DAJ:

Aircraft Photo of XA-DAJ | Boeing 737-8 Max 8 | AeroMéxico | AirHistory.net #524689

The latter is definitely the preferred one, but I wouldn't complain if you wanted to do both 😉

Thanks again!

 

If you could find me some good closeup pics of the stickers near the front door (I obviously have the SkyTeam one), so I can add those it would be great.  Sometimes the thing that takes the longest to finish a paint project is finding the right closeups to get the detail you need! 🙂 

[luttes72]

Anyone have or willing to share GSX CFG settings for the plane? I tried setting up and failed miserably. 

[FOD]

In hand and ifly will be providing one shortly

[kmax59]

2 hours ago, luttes72 said:

Anyone have or willing to share GSX CFG settings for the plane? I tried setting up and failed miserably. 

An official one from me is coming very soon. Will be uploaded to the flight1 servers this afternoon

 

EDIT: here you go: http://ifly.flight1.net/forums/gsx-profile-for-max8_topic20646.html

Edited December 18, 2022 by kmax59

[evaamo]

5 hours ago, Nixoq said:

How is the taxi behavior with regards to friction and thrust?

Breakaway thrust feels realistic to me, it can slowly taxi at idle thrust settings. I'm using a dedicated steering axis in P3D and it also felt realistic.

The LEAP engines spool time seem to be an improvement over the CFM56 on the NGs, but I don't know if they are modelled realistically or if they are overpowered. In general, it feels like very good. The only issue I'm battling at the moment is some lagginess in the PFD and the flight director. I have already reported it to the developer.