How the PMDG 777 Cost Me $500

We all heard that two weeks to two months nonsense that came and went but that’s old news. Timelines slip. Whatever.

But I like planes. Airliners in particular. The big ones. The beautiful ones. Big beautiful planes. They remind me of trips abroad growing up. They bring me back to getting Expert Software’s “Big Jets” back around 1998, only realizing upon trying to install that it was an add-on for Microsoft’s FS98. Yup that’s right. My first Flight Sim purchase was a payware add-on.

I didn’t know what I was doing. I wasn’t even 10. My parents and I went back to the store and got FS98, and we eventually installed “Big Jets” too (had to wait a while because who gets two presents unprompted at once?).

So I love big airplanes and payware runs through my veins. Someone get me a high fidelity 747-300 (with Thai Airways livery, I beg you).

Naturally, seeing that the PMDG 777 was around the corner had me in a heightened state of being, glowing like that perfect tan just before the burn. Learning that it wouldn’t come as soon as anticipated… well, whatever, I’ll just get my big beautiful payware plane fix somewhere else.

Queue X-Plane. Apparently there are some big airliners on there and Microsoft Flight Sim can’t compete. I’m a sucker for graphics but they don’t look too bad. Guess I’ll try it out. $80.

“You have to get the Toils A340-600. It’s so good. Best long haul. So, so good. Literally the best.”

You had me at you have to get. I’ll do it. I need it. $90.

“You like 747s? The modern ones are so basic. Have you heard of Felis? He’s this guy in Ukraine who has single handedly built the greatest 747-200, maybe even add-on, for Flight Sim, ever.”

Please. Say no more. I need it. I want it so bad. $70.

I fly them both. They’re gorgeous. They’re stunning. I can’t get over how much better big airliners are to me. I almost can’t forgive myself for not diving into the latest X-Plane sooner. Default graphics can’t touch Microsoft Flight Sim but does it matter when you’re an 800,000 pound behemoth at full thrust barreling down the runway on a flight from IAD to JFK because who actually has time to fly to Tokyo?

“The Rotate MD-11 though. A trijet—”

Yes, yes, I know. I’ll get it. It’s big. It’s beautiful. I like big beautiful planes. $84.

Should I get a few really nice airports? I think I should. $90.

At this point you think I’m bad at math because that isn’t $500. And that’s true; it’s just over $400. But what I failed to mention is that when I first heard of the PMDG 777’s impending release, I picked up VKB’s STECS throttle for a cool $340 shipped. So we’re at $754.

So I am bad at math. Or at least at mentally adding smaller amounts to a larger sum. I’m a marketer’s dream.