How do I fly the iFly 737 MAX in MSFS 2020?

To fly the iFly 737 MAX in MSFS 2020, load and balance it through the aircraft tools, align the IRS, program and check the FMC, configure the MCP, then fly take-off, climb, cruise, VNAV descent and approach while confirming every mode on the flight-mode annunciator.

For a first flight in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, start on a runway with the aircraft ready rather than attempting every system from a dark cockpit. Disable AI piloting, assisted take-off and assisted landing, use the Modern flight model, and remove duplicate throttle, spoiler or control-axis bindings.

How do I set up the iFly 737 MAX for departure?

1. Load fuel and payload. Use the iFly aircraft tools or EFB where available, then leave the weight unchanged after calculating performance. Altering fuel or passengers later can invalidate the trim, V-speeds and landing figures.
2. Power and align the aircraft. At a parking stand, establish electrical power, place the IRS selectors in NAV and enter the aircraft position. Do not move the aircraft during alignment. Our full iFly cold-and-dark start sequence covers the electrical, pneumatic and engine-start work without repeating it here.
3. Program the FMC. Enter the origin and destination, route, departure, arrival and approach. Complete the performance, thrust-limit and take-off pages, then select the calculated V-speeds. Use our Boeing 737 FMC programming workflow if you need the CDU sequence in detail.
4. Inspect the LEGS page. Step through every waypoint and compare it with the intended route. Remove only unwanted discontinuities; a discontinuity associated with radar vectors may be deliberate. An unexpected turn after departure nearly always begins with an unchecked first leg.
5. Configure the MCP. Turn on both flight directors, arm the autothrottle, set V2 in the speed window, select the cleared heading or runway track, and enter the initial cleared altitude. Arm LNAV and VNAV only when the route and performance entries are complete.
6. Finish the take-off configuration. Select the FMC-planned flap setting, set the calculated stabiliser trim, place the speedbrake down and select RTO autobrake. Check hydraulics, generators, probe heat, pressurisation and exterior lights, then run the take-off configuration check.

Do not assume that a route selected on the MSFS World Map has correctly populated the iFly FMC. Treat the CDU route as authoritative and compare it with the World Map or ATC clearance before departure.

How do I take off in the iFly 737 MAX?

1. Line up and stabilise thrust. Centre the aircraft, hold the brakes if necessary and bring both engines to a stable intermediate thrust setting.
2. Press TO/GA. Confirm take-off thrust engages and both engines accelerate evenly. Watch the flight-mode annunciator on the primary flight display rather than relying on illuminated MCP buttons.
3. Call and observe the V-speeds. Keep the aircraft on the centreline through V1. At VR, rotate smoothly towards the flight-director command instead of pulling abruptly to a fixed pitch angle.
4. Retract the landing gear. Select gear up after confirming a positive climb.
5. Follow the lateral mode. LNAV may engage automatically if it was armed and the first route leg is valid. Otherwise, maintain runway heading or use the cleared heading before selecting LNAV when correctly positioned.
6. Accelerate and clean up. At the programmed acceleration height, lower the nose as commanded and retract flaps according to the indications on the speed tape. Do not retract every stage at once.
7. Engage the autopilot when stable. The aircraft must be properly trimmed, above the modelled minimum engagement height and close to the flight-director command. Confirm CMD and the expected active modes on the annunciator.

A common mistake is advancing the thrust levers manually without pressing TO/GA. The aircraft may accelerate, but the expected take-off thrust and flight-guidance modes will not be established correctly.

How do I manage climb and cruise?

VNAV should control climb speed and thrust while LNAV follows the active route, but the pilot must still manage the MCP altitude. Set each cleared altitude before the aircraft reaches the previous restriction; VNAV will not climb through a lower altitude left in the MCP window.

• Retract the flaps on schedule and verify that no flap-limit marks are being exceeded.
• Set standard pressure at the applicable transition altitude.
• Check that the active FMC leg matches the magenta route and that the aircraft is not approaching a discontinuity.
• Monitor fuel quantity, engine indications and the predicted arrival fuel during cruise.
• Confirm every mode change on the flight-mode annunciator. An MCP selection is only a request until the corresponding mode appears there.

For more detail on hand-flying, mode selection and the normal sequence between flight phases, see our phase-by-phase Boeing 737 flying guide.

How do I descend and land the iFly 737 MAX?

Prepare the arrival before top of descent by selecting the runway, STAR and approach, checking the resulting route, entering landing data and setting a lower cleared altitude on the MCP. If the MCP remains at cruise altitude, VNAV will not begin a normal descent.

1. Check the descent path. Review altitude and speed restrictions on the LEGS and DES pages. Use speedbrake cautiously if the aircraft rises above the calculated path; retract it before adding substantial flap.
2. Set approach data. Select the intended landing flap, calculate VREF and apply the appropriate wind correction. Verify the ILS frequency and course when flying an ILS.
3. Intercept correctly. Approach the localiser on a sensible intercept heading and capture the glideslope from below. Arm APP and confirm localiser and glideslope capture on the flight-mode annunciator.
4. Configure progressively. Reduce speed, extend flaps in sequence, lower the landing gear, arm the speedbrake and select the required landing autobrake setting. The aircraft should be fully configured and stable before the final part of the approach.
5. Land or go around. Disconnect the autopilot at the appropriate height for a manual landing, follow the flare guidance, close the thrust levers and touch down without forcing the nosewheel onto the runway. If the approach is unstable, press TO/GA and fly the published missed approach.
6. Decelerate and clear. Confirm spoiler deployment, apply reverse thrust and use manual or automatic braking. Stow reverse thrust at taxi speed, clear the runway, retract the flaps and disarm the speedbrake.

Why will LNAV, VNAV or the autopilot not engage?

• LNAV refuses to arm: activate a valid first leg, resolve an unintended route discontinuity and check that the aircraft is reasonably positioned to intercept the route.
• VNAV is unavailable: complete the route and performance pages, enter gross-weight and cruise information, calculate take-off data and execute outstanding FMC changes.
• VNAV will not descend: lower the MCP altitude, verify that the aircraft has reached top of descent and check for a restrictive waypoint or discontinuity.
• Autopilot disconnects immediately: release control pressure, trim the aircraft, add a small dead zone to noisy axes and remove duplicate elevator or aileron assignments.
• Throttles fight the autothrottle: remove conflicting throttle bindings and calibrate the hardware through the aircraft's supported calibration tool where provided.
• Take-off configuration warning sounds: recheck flaps, stabiliser trim, speedbrake position, parking brake and take-off data rather than trying to silence the warning.

Complex add-ons may not restore every system correctly after loading an MSFS 2020 mid-flight save. For dependable practice, begin from a gate or runway state and fly the complete sector rather than relying on a saved approach.