I have the Max 8 from iFly and its one of the better planes for MSFS if not the best.  I have been hoping for an official announcement coming from iFly that the other variants would be in the works but so far they have been pretty quiet about it.  A few months ago a shallow rumor was going around they were going to announce another variant(s) during the Flight Sim Expo but that never materialized.  I am really hoping they announce more variants soon.  The 737 is one of those airplanes you can't just have one variant.  If they are a bit out there and they are waiting for the Max 8 to be finalized that would be okay but it would be at least nice to know they are coming!

I honestly think whether or not we see the PMDG Max's will greatly depend on if iFly ever announces more Max variants.  I actually doubt any PMDG claims about some special client holding it up.  When the iFly Max 8 came out the PMDG Max project was unofficially dead.  However since its taking so long for iFly to announce other variants it seems PMDG has slowly started warming that project up again.  As the months go by and we don't get an official announcement from iFly than PMDG may just drop its Max.  However if iFly announces the others I see PMDG putting its Max on the back burner again and possibly forever.  Despite its supposed near completion the PMDG Max has never been shown as far as I know.  All pure speculation on my part but it truly feels like a friendly stand off is occurring over the Max for MSFS and the 2 developers.  PMDG knows if iFly comes out with all Max variants it will be a stand out over what PMDG offers and its game over for the PMDG Max project.  

           

Just a notion, but I don't think they have the capacity / manpower / interest to do this. They've already taking a long time bringing the 737MAX into MSFS and they're still to do the Service Pack 1 (with the MAX 8-200). Their 737 in 2024 is experimental so far and not even natively rebuilt, just a port. Don't get me wrong, I have the iFly MAX and love flying it, it looks and sounds great and is relatively deep sytems-wise. But I don't think they will do other variants.

While I agree with you that PMDG's "special client" is probably an invention, I don't think the PMDG MAX is dead. They'll likely wait until the 747 is out and then turn back to doing the MAX with as many variants as possible (at the moment only the -8 and -9 obviously). They'll likely already have a solid code base and framework for the MAX and frankly after the 747 there's nothing "obvious" left for them to bring into MSFS. They might do the 787 if they don't do the MAX, or maybe they do both of them. But there's really nothing else left with the 757/767 coming from someone else.

13 minutes ago, Fiorentoni said:

While I agree with you that PMDG's "special client" is probably an invention,

They've been clear that the "special client" was Boeing and the nature of that work needed a separation of church and state. Which isn't that unusual.

I can't imagine they'd lie and specifically call out Boeing as the client. Matthijs recently said the client was Boeing and that work was delivered.

I wouldn't be surprised if some of the work they were doing is to allow Boeing to do more sim work as part of ground school.

I’m pretty sure PMDG has already said they’re doing all of the variants of the max. 

I know many people love the ifly.  But I respect that eventually PMDG will deliver all variants of the max.  The MAX10 and 9 are the ones I want the most anyway. 

I can't speak to any other variants iFly might be doing.  I always wonder, though, why simmers place the importance they do on these kinds of variants in the sim.  In reality of course there are economic considerations to right-sizing a market, but from the standpoint of operating the airplane, there aren't meaningful differences.  If there were, the aircraft would not share a common type. 

The -8 makes sense to be the first variant to model as it'll do most anything the other variants can do.  As far as range... We just announced SEA - KEF on a -8.  That certainly out does the range of the -9 or -10, and is close enough to the -7 (if those last two ever even exist.). We'll also send the -8 to SBP, SNA, PSG, WRG etc.  It's just the sweet spot of range and short field perf. 

 As far as flying though, if there weren't payload considerations, you could fly an entire flight on a -8 or -9 and never know the difference.  Sure there's a bit less tail strike margin on the -9, but if you're flying it using appropriate techniques for a -8 it won't even be close to a factor.  You'd have to be doing something pretty dumb for it to matter.  This is an aspect that I feel like PMDG overstates, presumably in an effort to chase sales of different variants.

 

1 hour ago, Stearmandriver said:

I can't speak to any other variants iFly might be doing.  I always wonder, though, why simmers place the importance they do on these kinds of variants in the sim.  In reality of course there are economic considerations to right-sizing a market, but from the standpoint of operating the airplane, there aren't meaningful differences.  If there were, the aircraft would not share a common type. 

The -8 makes sense to be the first variant to model as it'll do most anything the other variants can do.  As far as range... We just announced SEA - KEF on a -8.  That certainly out does the range of the -9 or -10, and is close enough to the -7 (if those last two ever even exist.). We'll also send the -8 to SBP, SNA, PSG, WRG etc.  It's just the sweet spot of range and short field perf. 

 As far as flying though, if there weren't payload considerations, you could fly an entire flight on a -8 or -9 and never know the difference.  Sure there's a bit less tail strike margin on the -9, but if you're flying it using appropriate techniques for a -8 it won't even be close to a factor.  You'd have to be doing something pretty dumb for it to matter.  This is an aspect that I feel like PMDG overstates, presumably in an effort to chase sales of different variants.

 

All completely valid points but for me at least, I'm just always chasing after the next shiny object and I also spend a lot of time in external view (when flight / ground conditions permit) and like the look of something new.   Honestly, I'm guessing that the -7 would probably be the most enjoyable to fly given it's much lighter weight, kinda the same as my favorite Airbus, the A319, in AA configuration, as just released by Fenix with the big CFM motors and winglets.   That thing is a beast. 

In the past iFly understood and delivered all the NG variants.  So no doubt they have thought about it with the Max.  Of coarse those were much simpler models.  Its not that easy these days!

Still I would like to see other variants starting with the 9 next.  Like mentioned above the 7 and 10 have yet to be delivered and might not ever be delivered.  I do think the 10 has a pretty solid chance of being delivered.  Just exactly when is anyone's guess.  The real challenge is if the 7 ever gets beyond prototype stage?  I thought I read recently that WN was looking to covert 7 orders into 8's?  

I am afraid the iFly Max 8 will eventually fade into oblivion once the PMDG Max Series is released.  Its such a good plane I would hate to see that happen.  However if iFly does all the Max series planes eventually it will only mean more revenue for them.  I do believe the only thing keeping the PMDG Max alive is if iFly does not make any more variants.

A possible problem with the PMDG Max Series is we really don't know what they got?  It was originally supposed to be an FS2020 project and drop shortly after the first 777 drops.  It was not going to get a lit of glitz and glamor.  Its possible by the time PMDG gets around to releasing it the plane will need a complete redo.  Further delaying the release.   IFly has them beat so I hope they do it!      

 

58 minutes ago, longhaul747 said:

I am afraid the iFly Max 8 will eventually fade into oblivion once the PMDG Max Series is released. 

 

I'd argue that if SP1 is all that it's expected to be, PMDG will be runner up in the contest to build the best MAX version.  

Fair points.  Actually, if the Max 10 does get certified/delivered eventually, it would be cool to have in the sim because there will be some (fairly bizarre) systems differences.  And yeah, I'll imagine a light -7 will be an absolute rocket.

I did remember that they are working on one variant I really don't know much about - the -8200 or something?  I understand it to be a higher capacity / passenger density -8 operated by Ryanair?  I think, I don't really know.  But anyway, I believe they've confirmed that is coming (hopefully with SP1), so maybe that says something about their willingness to do variants.

I personally prefer the PMDG 737 over the iFly. When the PMDG MAX comes out will be migrating over to that. 
 

Likewise I and just sitting tight until the Fenix A320 NEO comes out.
 

To me it makes sense to keep a whole aircraft series with the same developer.  

The iFly SP1 must be huge, considering how long they are working on it. 😉

6 hours ago, Stearmandriver said:

......I always wonder, though, why simmers place the importance they do on these kinds of variants in the sim.  In reality of course there are economic considerations to right-sizing a market, but from the standpoint of operating the airplane, there aren't meaningful differences.  If there were, the aircraft would not share a common type.....

This is one of the reasons why I recently purchased the 737-900 package for MSFS 2020. It is as far removed from my current -600 as I can get with the NG series. Of course, the cockpit will look virtually identical, but the approach speeds and runway performance will be vastly different. I am also hoping that it feels a bit heavier.....

That is the main reason I resisted buying the Ifly 737 MAX. I had many doubt that they would cover all available variants.

Of course, it sounds stupid for some but I don't like to fly a 737-700 when the real airlines use a 737-900 on that route.

So I was waiting for the PMDG 737MAX. I don't think it is a vaporware. It's in development but PMDG has been very busy with the 777, 747 and bringing the NG to msfs24. But It will be made and I have no doubts that PMDG will develop all the differents variants.

Also, PMDG has competition on the MAX and they know that their name won't be enough to attract buyers or made Ifly users buy their MAX. So they probably know they have to elevate their game on the MAX. So I expect it to be better than the Ifly. We will see...

8 hours ago, Stearmandriver said:

I can't speak to any other variants iFly might be doing.  I always wonder, though, why simmers place the importance they do on these kinds of variants in the sim.  In reality of course there are economic considerations to right-sizing a market, but from the standpoint of operating the airplane, there aren't meaningful differences.  If there were, the aircraft would not share a common type. 

The -8 makes sense to be the first variant to model as it'll do most anything the other variants can do.  As far as range... We just announced SEA - KEF on a -8.  That certainly out does the range of the -9 or -10, and is close enough to the -7 (if those last two ever even exist.). We'll also send the -8 to SBP, SNA, PSG, WRG etc.  It's just the sweet spot of range and short field perf. 

 As far as flying though, if there weren't payload considerations, you could fly an entire flight on a -8 or -9 and never know the difference.  Sure there's a bit less tail strike margin on the -9, but if you're flying it using appropriate techniques for a -8 it won't even be close to a factor.  You'd have to be doing something pretty dumb for it to matter.  This is an aspect that I feel like PMDG overstates, presumably in an effort to chase sales of different variants.

 

Something I never really understood, buying several models of the 777 or the 737, cause x airline only flies that particular model.