(First MSFS image shared!) iFly continues progress on 737 MAX for Microsoft Flight Simulator

Update! – Well, this short development update from Flight1 seems to have garnered some attention… so much so that the developers decided to share the first actual image of the iFly 737 MAX running in Microsoft Flight Simulator! It depicts a highly detailed landing gear as it was a few months ago. Flight1 says things have evolved significantly since then. They promise new development shots “when the next milestone is met” and add that “the product is still a number of months away”. Will we see the iFly 737 MAX arrive to MSFS in 2024?

It’s no secret that iFly has been developing their Boeing 737 MAX for Microsoft Flight Simulator. The team confirmed this over a year ago and, since then, we’ve been mostly left in the dark when it comes to the progress being made.

iFly tends to be reserved in sharing behind-the-scenes progress, often leading to prolonged periods without updates. However, today there’s a bit of an update. iFly says that development is “proceeding well“ on adapting their renowned 737 MAX for the MSFS platform.

In a post shared on Flight One’s social media, the iFly team has first and foremost expressed confidence in the capabilities of Prepar3D v5 for simulating true aircraft systems. However, they remain committed to bringing the 737 MAX to MSFS enthusiasts.

They emphasize that while MSFS offers stunning visual experiences, the development for this platform is considerably more complex due to the fundamental differences in the simulator’s architecture compared to the FSX/P3D lineage. This complexity accounts for the longer time-to-market, especially for the study-level simulation that iFly aims to deliver.

The iFly 737 MAX for MSFS is described as a “major new development,” underscoring the team’s effort to not just port an existing model but to craft an experience tailored to the unique strengths of MSFS.

So, the wait for the iFly 737 MAX continues. It’s good to see confirmation that it continues to be in active development and it’s definitely a very exciting project, but better not to hold your breath waiting for it to be out anytime soon.

It’s important to note that another high-profile 737 MAX is on its way to MSFS, and it’s none other than from PMDG. With all the 737NG variants already released, we are now eagerly awaiting updates about the release of the 737 MAX, as previously promised.