3 replies to this topic

[John.]

Hi There!

We all love airliners and my particular favourite is the Boeing 727-100. Many people like all of the Hi-Tech glass instruments and complicated systems that do all of the flying for you but I like to put some input into the actual flying of the aircraft. The 727 is an aircraft that uses basic analogue dials to display all the information any pilot requires. As for an FMC, most of the 727 aircraft were not fitted with them which is ok for me because I hate the things. I always get lost at the most important part of the process.

Installation

I bought my copy of the 727-100 from the FSPilotShop website. I cost me £6.75 which is very cheap considering what you get in the package! The download size was 19.5mb so it didn't take long to download. The serial code came a few minutes after I downloaded the file.
The installation was easy and simple. The package was in an easy to follow installer where you just have to enter a serial code that was sent to you by e-mail. It took the installer about a minute to install the aircraft files onto my computer. The 19.5mb unzipped to a nice 342.6mb. After installation, I just restarted my computer (Not required).

http://images.flight.../18317/CS_1.jpg

The Models...

When you install the 727, you get 5 new models to fly:
- Boeing 727-100
- Boeing 727-100 QW (winglets)
- Boeing 727-100 QW Freighter (winglets)
- Boeing 727-100 QW/RE 'Super 27' (winglets, JT8D-217 engines)
- Bonus! Boeing 727-100 with GE-36 unducted fan.

Every single model is very highly detailed and I am very impressed. There is one big downside to this aircraft though. None of the models include a VC or 2D panels. Captain Sim are saying that they are working on the interior and systems of the aircraft but they have said this for a while and still nothing has been produced. Some people think that the interior is a forgotten project as the C-130 is not entering Beta2 stages but I know that Captain Sim will not let us down!
There are also 109 Model animations which are very realistic and fun to display (I have particular enjoyment of throwing in an appalling approach just to get the emergency slide out). The animations listed below are quoted from the Captain Sim website.

Quote

- Wheel chocks (6)
- Engine Intake Covers (3) L-C-R
- Engine Exhaust Covers (3) L-C-R
- Engine Cowling (8) L-C-R s
- Compressor Fans (2) L-R
- Engine Reverser (2) L-R s
- Pilots Windows (2)
- Main Entry Door
- Main Cargo Door f
- Escape Slide
- Fwd Air Stairs
- Aft Air Stairs
- Stewardess (2) p
- Emergency Exits (4) p
- Starboard Service Door
- Starboard Fwd Lower Cargo Door
- Starboard Aft Lower Cargo Door
- Nose wheel Steering
- Dust Excluders (6)
- Wipers (2)
- Elevator (2)
- Ailerons (4)
- Rudder
- Spoilers (14 sections)
- Wing Flaps (12 sections)
- Wing Slats (10 sections)
- Stabilizer
- Elevator trim
- Ailerons trim
- Rudder trim
- Landing Gears (extension/retraction, wheel rotation, shocks animation etc) (3)
- Landing Gear Doors (8)

L-C-R = you can control left-center-right side items independently

The Liveries...

All of the included liveries are of a very high detail. They include bump mapping and dynamic shine - a nice adition to any flight simulator aircraft. The liveries included are:

- ATA British Airways
- American Airlines
- Boeing UDF
- DHL
- Eastern
- Kelowna Flightcraft
- Pan Am
- TWA
- SITM
- South Africa
- United
- US Air

I have taken a few screenshots of the liveries but They are just from the aircraft details menu, Not from the game so they do not look as good.

http://images.flight.../18317/CS_3.jpg
http://images.flight.../18317/CS_4.jpg
http://images.flight.../18317/CS_5.jpg
http://images.flight.../18317/CS_6.jpg
http://images.flight.../18317/CS_7.jpg
http://images.flight.../18317/CS_8.jpg
http://images.flight.../18317/CS_9.jpg
http://images.flight...18317/CS_10.jpg
http://images.flight...18317/CS_11.jpg
http://images.flight...18317/CS_12.jpg
http://images.flight...18317/CS_13.jpg
http://images.flight...18317/CS_14.jpg

The Effects...

Most of the 727-100 effects are default but there is one custom effect that I love - The touchdown effect! If you land too fast or too hard, the effect will make tire marks on the runway/surface! I love the idea, Well done Captain Sim! The only problem is that I had to edit the cfg to get the effect working as Captain Sim used the default touchdown effect in the cfg instead of their custom one. The thread that solves this problem can be found Here.
There is also an engine smoke effect that try's to simulate the jet blast that we all try to create in Paint shop pro. This effect does it's job nicely but Isn't perfect. It looks like your engine is on fire when the smoke is viewed against the sky but looks convincing against the ground.

The Flight

Ok, It is now time to fly this beast! At this bottom of this section, I have included a screenshot of the aircraft selection menu in FSX. It shows all of the variants of the 727-100.
I decided to start from a well known airport - Heathrow! I thought that I should give myself plenty of room on my first takeoff...
I started from GATE 1 in the American Airliners livery and got my clearance from Heathrow ground to Taxi to and hold short of Runway 09R. The first thing that I noticed is that it is very easy to taxi in the 727. I have never flown a 727-100 before so I don't know weather it is realistic but it just felt right.
After holding short and getting takeoff clearance, it was time to get those engines running on full thrust! As I pulled back on the stick, the aircraft gently flew it's self into the air! As I couldn't fly from the cockpit, I had time to enjoy the brilliant modeling of the exterior. I just flew a short flight from Heathrow to Manchester which was very enjoyable. I can't remember how long to took me to complete the flight, I was enjoying myself too much to take notice of the time. On landing, I had to make a visual approach as I had no instruments to simulate a realistic landing but I thing it went ok. No rubber marks left on the runway was a good sign.
The 727 was also quite friendly with frame rates. I experienced about 3fps loss while flying the aircraft but when the VC is added, I might loose more due to the high polly count. You do not loose as many frames as you do whilst flying the Dornier DO-27 for example.

http://images.flight...18317/CS_15.jpg
http://images.flight...18317/CS_16.jpg
http://images.flight...18317/CS_17.jpg
http://images.flight...18317/CS_18.jpg
http://images.flight...18317/CS_19.jpg
http://images.flight...18317/CS_20.jpg
http://images.flight...18317/CS_21.jpg
http://images.flight...18317/CS_22.jpg
http://images.flight...18317/CS_23.jpg
http://images.flight...18317/CS_24.jpg
http://images.flight...18317/CS_25.jpg
http://images.flight...18317/CS_26.jpg
http://images.flight...18317/CS_27.jpg
http://images.flight...18317/CS_28.jpg
http://images.flight...18317/CS_29.jpg
http://images.flight...18317/CS_30.jpg
http://images.flight...18317/CS_31.jpg
http://images.flight...18317/CS_32.jpg
http://images.flight...18317/CS_33.jpg

What I Liked About The 727-100

- Very nice model Animations
- Brilliant model
- Very high quality liveries
- Custom Effects

What I Didn't Like About The 727-100

- No VC or Custom 2D Panels (Just default 737-800 2D panel)
- Unable to all liveries without the ACE

Overall...

This is a great model and a great buy for anyone who loves airliners. Although there is no VC and you can't add liveries without the ACE, it is a great aircraft and really fun to fly!

My System...

Flight Simulator X Deluxe Edition (SP2:Acceleration)
Dell Dimension 9200
Windows XP Media Center 2005 (SP2)
Intel Pentium D CPU 2.80GHz
1GB Ram
NVIDIA GeForce 7900GS 256MB
DirectX 9.0c

I hope you enjoyed reading this review,

Steve

Edited by Frosty, 14 December 2007 - 04:01 PM.

[Brad]

Nice review Steve.  

[DJ Iceman]

Nice review too!  Why does it seem to me that the 721 looks like the 722?  I thought the 721 was MUCH more shorter O_o

[John.]

Brad, on Dec 17 2007, 05:32 PM, said:

Nice review Steve.  

(SH)Iceman, on Dec 17 2007, 06:14 PM, said:

Nice review too!  Why does it seem to me that the 721 looks like the 722?  I thought the 721 was MUCH more shorter O_o

Thanks guys .

It is probaly the angles of my screenshots. I have included the links to the captain sim website that include screenshots of the -100 and -200 models.

727-100 Model - http://www.captainsi...ducts/x727/100/
727-200 Model - http://www.captainsi...ducts/x727/200/

Thanks again

Steve