The PMDG 737-600 is set to launch for MSFS next week, -800 in mid-August

When PMDG launched their hugely-anticipated Boeing 737-700 for Microsoft Flight Simulator back in May, simmers were left with a bittersweet feeling. On the one hand, there was finally a proper 737 in the simulator, but on the other hand, it was not the highly sought-after -800 variant, by far the most popular one in the real world. Thankfully, PMDG has now provided an estimated release for the 737-800… but there’s another 737 coming even before that!

Despite failing to meet initial release schedules for the 737 product line in MSFS, PMDG will follow the same release order that was initially planned. So, the 737-600 will come next, and then the -800. The news this weekend is that the -600 is now finally getting ready to come out, and we should expect to have it by the end of this month!

Robert Randazzo shared this expectation in the latest development update, promising that this delay with the -600 variant of the 737 will be worth it. After all, it was caused by the team’s desire to use this variant as a testbed for a much-improved Lateral Flight Path model, which will be rolled out with this variant and come to the existing 737-700 through an update.

After the -600’s launch next week (if all goes well, there’s still some final testing to be done), PMDG will sprint to the finishing line and finalize the work on the -800, aiming for a release in mid-August. This release will include the passenger variant along with the BBJ2, the BDSF, and the BCF.

Being one of the longer variants of the 737, the -800 model is getting the necessary changes to reflect its different systems when compared to the shorter siblings. PMDG says that this work continues, but they appear confident with their progress since beta testers are now expected to share their impressions soon, ahead of the release next month.

As for other news from PMDG, it’s also worth noting that the 737-700 is getting another update that continues to add new details, fix some existing issues, and bring further simulation improvements to the airplane. Check the full changelog below to see what’s new, but expect a new update very soon, after the -600 release, that will bring the new LNAV and VNAV logic to the -700 variant.

CHANGE LIST: PMDG 737-700 3.00.0029
0011603: [FMS – Functionality Problems (General)] DTO Incorrect Display (abashkatov)
0011434: [External Model – Liveries] Texture Mapping. Element Moves Depending on viewing Angle (jbrown)
0011446: [External Model – Liveries] Injestion Warning Decal (jbrown)
0011447: [External Model – Liveries] Gaps in Left Side Injestion Waring Line (jbrown)
0011483: [Virtual Cockpit – Geometry/Textures] Aux Fuel Panel shows pasrt of the Nose Wheel Steering Panel on BBJ (vscimone)
0011486: [Virtual Cockpit – Geometry/Textures] Space missing between R and WIPER (vscimone)
0011487: [Virtual Cockpit – Geometry/Textures] ‘NORMAL’ missing from overhead panel temp control panel (vscimone)
0011488: [Virtual Cockpit – Geometry/Textures] ‘ENGINE START’ missing from overhead panel (vscimone)
0011490: [Virtual Cockpit – Geometry/Textures] Floating decal text on fuel control levers (vscimone)
0011491: [Virtual Cockpit – Geometry/Textures] Engine 2 fire handle floats when pulled (vscimone)
0011492: [Virtual Cockpit – Geometry/Textures] Glareshield document holder lacks visible bottom (vscimone)
0011493: [Virtual Cockpit – Geometry/Textures] Lines missing from cabin pressure gauge (vscimone)
0011494: [Virtual Cockpit – Geometry/Textures] Inside of stab trim cutout guards should be red (vscimone)
0011495: [Virtual Cockpit – Geometry/Textures] Text on yoke is crooked (vscimone)
0011496: [Virtual Cockpit – Geometry/Textures] Text remnant to the right of “AILERON” (vscimone)
0011497: [Virtual Cockpit – Geometry/Textures] + missing from cargo fire panel (vscimone)
0011498: [Virtual Cockpit – Geometry/Textures] Dots missing from crew oxygen pressure gauge (vscimone)
0011499: [Virtual Cockpit – Geometry/Textures] Placard missing from back of jump seat (vscimone)
0011501: [Virtual Cockpit – Geometry/Textures] Pass oxygen guard should be safety wired (vscimone)
0011503: [Virtual Cockpit – Geometry/Textures] Rudder trim off flag missing (vscimone)
0011505: [Virtual Cockpit – Geometry/Textures] AO spots on ACP panels (vscimone)
0011615: [General – Ground Operations] Fuel Truck Dangerous Goods shield wrong number (jbrown)
0011166: [Systems – Wheels & Brakes] Maingear not recognized as extended after manual gear extension (rsrandazzo)
0011175: [Main Panel – PFD] White Speed Bug should not be removed on touchdown (abashkatov)
0011187: [Sounds – Internal/Cockpit] Add seatbelt sound chime on aircraft power up from cold and dark (abashkatov)
0011534: [Systems – Flight Controls] Hyd System B providing inadequate pressure to rudder actuators (rsrandazzo)
0011601: [Systems – Hydraulic] EMDP 1 and 2 control switches wired to incorrect busses. (model code xml reversed due to numbering inversion on panel) (rsrandazzo)
0011612: [FMS/AFDS – LNAV] LFP v2 : Reduced distance cut-off between WPTs for creating arcs (emvaos)
0011613: [Systems – General/Not Sure] Alternate Landing Gear Extension needs modification to take advantage of MSFS independent gear operation (rsrandazzo)
0011238: [Virtual Cockpit – Geometry/Textures] FO Window Handle wrong style (vscimone)
0011018: [Main Panel – Aural/Visual Warning Systems] GPWS INOP light should be ON with IRS off (abashkatov)
0011113: [General – Engines] Engine shutdown – Simvar N1 engine values reach zero far quicker than expected (acholakian)
0011608: [Virtual Cockpit – Geometry/Textures] RECIR FAN panel background color differnt than rest of panel (vscimone)
0011573: [Virtual Cockpit – Geometry/Textures] Errant shadow spots on ACP panels on Overhead (vscimone)
0010454: [Main Panel – ND] VOR/ILS ident not being displayed (abashkatov)
0010989: [General – Unsure] BBJ, AUX Tank gauge at MIP not showing any Fuel quantity when weights are set to LBS (abashkatov)
0011596: [General – Suggested/Missing Features] Removal of not needed files from Data/Dynamics (cbpowell)
0011605: [External Model – Geometry] APU Drain mast missing (jbrown)
0011600: [Sounds – Internal/Cockpit] airspeed callouts sounds missing (acholakian)
0011594: [Apps – LightsNSwitches] no smoking / chime only switch does not move (vscimone)
0011604: [Virtual Cockpit – Functionality/Click-Spots] GEN switch click spots should be limited to the switch tips (vscimone)
0011599: [External Model – Geometry] Mismatch Vortex Generators (jbrown)
0011602: [Virtual Cockpit – Geometry/Textures] Aileron trim switches should be offset, not centered, on switch posts (vscimone)
0011589: [Virtual Cockpit – Geometry/Textures] Standby Artificial Horizon knobs are low resolution (vscimone)
0011587: [General – Ground Operations] Stairs at Door 1 misaligned (hvanrensburg)
0010959: [Main Panel – ND] Green line on terrain display with water option on (abashkatov)
0010732: [Main Panel – ND] Terrain depiction on ND ‘ghosts’ as you move and turn. (abashkatov)
0011309: [Main Panel – ND] Memory Leak when Lower Eicas is set to ND and terrain display is on (abashkatov)
0008442: [Systems – Pressurization] Addition of the new style Pressurization panel (vscimone)
0011512: [Systems – Electrical] Battery Voltage low. (rsrandazzo)
0011548: [FREEZES – All Types] Cockpit Freeze Upon Increasing ND MAP Range to 640, have Terrain Data on and Terrain Sweep to OFF (abashkatov)
0011554: [External Model – Geometry] Landing Light Illuminating Inside of Engine Cowling (jbrown)
0011557: [FMS/AFDS – LNAV] Routing should be recalculated from PPOS when wings level on a heading to intercept leg (emvaos)
0011562: [General – Flight Model] BBJ variant only, nose wheel does not animate when XBOX controller is used for the rudder (jbrown)
0011572: [External Model – Liveries] F1 Norm Map Adjustment (jbrown)
0011574: [Virtual Cockpit – Geometry/Textures] Engine start text is not illuminated (vscimone)
0011575: [Virtual Cockpit – Geometry/Textures] Aft window pillars collision box needs tweaking. (jbrown)
0011577: [External Model – Geometry] Brief orange splash on nose of the aircraft when turning on the strobes (jbrown)
0010578: [Virtual Cockpit – Geometry/Textures] Overhead Switches need HD texturing (vscimone)
0011462: [General – Flight Model] Backcourse APP not working correctly. (emvaos)
0011507: [Systems – General/Not Sure] Use last OIL option although enabled not working correctly (emvaos)
0011514: [Virtual Cockpit – Geometry/Textures] Oxy. Press. needle does not illuminate with overhead backlighting (vscimone)
0011518: [Virtual Cockpit – Geometry/Textures] Speed Brake Handle Textures are Blurry (vscimone)
0011595: [Virtual Cockpit – Geometry/Textures] Attendant Switch not animated (vscimone)