After stealthily saying that it will be accessible final week, PMDG has formally launched the Boeing 737-600 for Microsoft Flight Simulator. The meticulously designed “Child Boeing” incorporates a shorter physique and no winglets, which permits it to get into some smaller airfields than its bigger brothers.
The -600 variant of the 737 isn’t one which’s seen a lot today. It serves because the smallest version of what’s often known as the Boeing 737 Subsequent Era (NG) household, each by bodily dimension and gross sales numbers. Since its launch in 1995, solely 69 of the variants have ever been produced. It competed straight with the Airbus A318 — a equally “tiny” version of what’s thought-about to be a mid-sized household, which additionally occurred to not promote that nicely.
Small is highly effective
Regardless of it not being a typical variant of the 737, the -600 does have some key benefits. It solely wants 6,161 ft of runway for take-off and touchdown, all whereas nonetheless having the identical technical capabilities as its larger brothers. Its cruise pace is identical Mach .078, and it even has the longest vary, coming in 3,235 nautical miles. In fact, its one actual draw back is that it can’t carry as a lot cargo or PAX as the opposite variants.
Nonetheless, PMDG has made certain to seize the 737-600 in the identical stage of element because the beforehand -700 variant. It options all of the intricate programs, correct flight mannequin, failure simulation, high-quality sound bundle and richly detailed textures.
The actual icing on the cake, nevertheless, is how low-cost it’s at $34.99 USD. Which means that it’s a full $25 USD cheaper than the -700 variant. The upcoming -800 (resulting from launch in mid-August) is probably going sure to be equally priced to the -700, if not only a tad costlier.
So, this all means which you can nonetheless benefit from the richness of the 737 whereas nonetheless having some additional left over for an additional add-on or two.
Flying low
Such a low price ticket for what’s a really high-quality airliner add-on could be very irregular. However, as PMDG has said prior to now, the sheer dimension of Microsoft Flight Simulator‘s attain has contributed to this completely different, barely extra accessible strategy to pricing. Because it stands, the Boeing 737-600 is now the most cost effective high quality airliner which you can pick-up for the sim.
There are others a little bit cheaper. For example, the Embraer E-Jet fashions from VirtualCol that are jets of comparable dimension and functionality to the -600. But, the distinction in mannequin high quality is kind of notable. VirtualCol’s merchandise are much more simplistic and are sometimes in comparison with being of decrease high quality than even some freeware tasks. So, PMDG has a really robust case right here by pricing the -600 so low. This isn’t an introductory worth, both.
All issues thought-about, it will likely be attention-grabbing to see the enchantment of the PMDG’s newest undertaking across the group. The launch of the -700 was so hotly anticipated it stays as the one add-on for the sim up to now to have needed to be delayed after launch resulting from servers being overrun. There hasn’t been practically as a lot fanfare surrounding the arrival of the Child Boeing, however this worth might swing a few of the extra curious simmers into its courtroom.
