The next and final entry in the Boeing 737NG family is soon coming to Microsoft Flight Simulator — the super stretchy 737-900 by PMDG. Only beat by the 737-MAX10 variant, the 737-900 (specifically, the 900ER) is the second-largest aircraft across the entire 737 lineage.
With a total length of 138 feet, this stretched-out variant of the famous single-aisle jetliner is the final version of the 737NG family. This completes the quartet, which is also composed of the already-released -600, -700 and -800 variants.
The 900ER, in particular, is the true icing on the cake for the 737NG line. It serves as a fill-in for the discontinued Boeing 757 and is also the most comparable to the Airbus A321, the primary rival of the 737 family. It boasts a seat capacity of 220, and includes a variety of improvements that allow it to fly farther and be more fuel efficient than the rest of the 737NG variants.
In the real world, airliners far preferred the 900ER over the standard -900 variant, as there are 505 active examples of the former and only 52 of the latter. PMDG has made sure to include both models in its forthcoming package for Microsoft Flight Simulator.
The 737-900 takes off for Microsoft Flight Simulator
The studio has teased a release of “sometime after February 7” just past 1 PM EST. The price of the Boeing 737-900/900ER is curiously said to be “between the 600 and the 700/800.” The -600 is the cheapest at $34.99 USD, whereas the other two variants are both $74.99 USD. So, if the -900 will be priced “between” these two values, it seems likely it may land in at somewhere around the $50 USD mark.
PMDG promises that it will keep supplying updates across its entire family of 737 products for Microsoft Flight Simulator.Â
On that note, the very anticipated release of an EFB (Electronic Flight Bag) for the series has yet to come through. The last time PMDG mentioned a specific release calendar for that was summer 2022. But in the same post about the release of the 900, the studio admits more work still needs to be done to ensure the EFB will function correctly. No new specific release timing was given.
PMDG also teased that work is continuing on bringing the Boeing 777 over to Microsoft Flight Simulator. Now that the 737-900, and thus the 737NG family, are all completed, more details of this next big project will begin to be released over the course of the year.
Published: Feb 7, 2023 11:34 am