I used to fly the 727 and it was one of the best flying planes I have ever flown. Any pilot who has flown it will tell you that he looks back at it with fond memories. I wanted to get an accurate simulation for FSX and found Captain Sim's new release for FSX of "727 Captain". The initial thing that caught my eye about this sim were some screen grabs I saw of the virtual cockpit. The shots were amazing. I had to have this sim. After seeing the virtual view of that nasty, dirty old cockpit I was instantly hit with the nasty old plane smell that goes along with it. The visual is so good it triggered some response in my brain where I was actually smelling the thing all over again as if I were back sitting in the pilots seat. The first thing you wanted to do after a flight in that plane was get a shower and get the plane smell off of you. The longer the flight the more you wreaked of Skydrol, JET-A, and Exxon 2380. The engines were always leaking and dripping some fluid onto your shirt and hair as you did your walk around inspection. Back to the review....
Configurations
-100 Pax-100 Pax QW (Quiet Wing)
-200 Pax
-200 Pax QW
-100 Freighter QW
-200 Freighter
-100 Valsan Super 27 with -217 engines (sort of)
Initial Impression
Upon initial inspection I thought they did an amazing job with the visual modeling inside and out. It will pull you in and make you buy this thing. I was expecting a lot for the $80 they charge. This was the most money I have ever paid for an FSX aircraft add-on. I also liked the fact that this was DirectX 10 compatible even if there are some nagging issues with DX10.
Views
The simulation is well equipped with interior and exterior views. Interior views include a 3D virtual cockpit with perspectives from the captains seat, copilots seat, flight engineer seat, and main cabin view. All seat view positions swivel 360 degrees. Exterior views are left/right pax window views, landing gear view, exterior 360 view. The modeling done on this plane is the best I have seen. The detail is amazing both inside and outside. For this alone you will want to buy this plane. The screen grabs speak for themselves. One flaw I spotted in VC view was that at some of the panel joints like in the captains rudder pedal area the panels were not completely joined and you could see the ground rushing by throught the gap. Not cool!
System Simulation
The simulation modeling in contrast to the visual modelling is unfortunately very poor. It seems they took the time to get some simulations right like fuel dumping but forgot the important stuff. Roll and pitch rates were accurate but pitch changes that occur with flap extension weren't. To tell the truth I have never seen this accuratley modeled by any FSX plane. Engine sound was accurate as well as the slow spool up time of the old JT8D engines. The fuel system, electrical system, hydraulic system, pneumatic system were modeled accurately just like the real aircraft.
There were many systems I found to be poorly modeled. I noticed that the flap handle does not enter the detents and accordingly does not correspond to flap settings indicated on the flap indicator dials. The flap detent markings on the pedestal are incorrect. The real 727 has flap settings for 0/2/5/15/25/30/40. The flap handle markings in the sim are 0/2/5/15/20/25/30/40. The flap indicator gauge is correctly marked. The third detent which should be flaps 15 is marked flaps 20 but displays correctly on the flap indicator dial as flap 15. Just ignore the handle position and rely on the gauge as an indicator of flap position as they won't correspond.
The stick shaker stall warning system did not test when the switch on the test panel was actuated. The stick shaker should make noise and shake. it doesn't. There is no takeoff config warning horn, no landing gear config warning horn, no autopilot disconnect warning horn, and no pilot control input autopilot disconnect. The engines won't produce rated power. A realistic takeoff EPR cannot be reached. At 59 degrees F and 29.92 at sea level the max EPR I could get was 2.0 at firewall power. Takeoff EPR at those settings should be approx 2.12. As the plane climbs EPR drops as air thins and temperature drops. This is modeled, but since the takeoff power was so low upon flap retraction when you go to set climb power you are already below the climb power setting found in the Boeing manual. So keeping the power at firewall from the begining of the TO roll to Top Of Climb is completely unrealistic.
Another issue I found that was quite serious and particularly annoying was that the main stabilizer trim motor operates too quickly making flying the plane extremely difficult since precise stabilizer trim adjustments were impossible. These planes are hand flown and the trim simulation makes this a pain in the ass to fly. The cruise/autopilot stab trim operated correctly. I hope Captain Sim reads this and corrects that overbearing and annoying issue because it makes a nice plane suck!
There is no outside air temperature gauge which is imperative for setting engine power. There is no sound when the flap lever is moved, or the trim is in use. The only audio panel that works in the plane is the FE's. So if you want to identify navaids or hear maker beacons then you have to turn to the engineers panel and set the audio panel up. Uhhhhh.... OK.
Exterior Modelling
While the 3D graphics in the VC are stunningly real the aircraft series configuration is a bit of a mess. One configuration offered is the -200 Valsan Super 27 conversion with larger JT8D-217 engines in the #1 and #3 position. There doesn't seem to be any corresponding performance increase with flying the Super 27 which has 22,000 lb thrust engines in 1&3 position while the -100 had -7 engines rated at 14,500 lbs of thrust. If your going to offer us a Super 27 then make it a Super 27 and offer us the performance increase that goes with it. The FedEx freighter has bucket reversers which in reality is equipped with cascade reversers.
For some good news the flap modeling is fantastic and very accurate. The 727 has one of the greatest wings ever built. It was optimized for high speed flight, but with it's massive triple slotted fowler flaps and leading edge slats and flaps extended it had a great short field capability. I would like to see the leading edge flaps extend and sag when the aircrafts engine driven "A" system hydraulics are un-powered as they do in the real aircraft otherwise they did a great job here.
The doors are animated including the main cargo door, belly cargo doors, L1 entry with boarding stairs, aft airstairs, and engine nacelle.
Liveries
There are a lot of liveries available especially older classic liveries which is nice. The liveries are detailed and accurate.
Manuals
The manuals included are fine for flying the sim. They aren't too overwhelming and give you just enough info to fly the plane. There was no system overview, just a "this switch does this" rundown. There is no limitations section, or performance charts which is unthinkable in my mind. For accurate simulations you need a takeoff, climb & cruise EPR chart, and Go-Around EPR chart. Some V-speedcharts were included.
Checklists
Checklists are included.
Aircraft Configuration Editor
Both the freighter and the passenger version are equipped with their own load configuration editors for weight and balance. This is a nice feature. It would have been nice if they included fuel loading here as well. You still have to go into the fuel planner in FSX and fuel the plane.
Panel State Saving/Loading
Not Included
Computer Demands
This add on is very heavy on frame rates. The virtual cockpit view uses the most system resources. My system has a NVidia 9800 GX2 card (that's 2 GPU's) and I only get 25-40FPS. Expect 20-30 FPS with a single high end card and fewer with an older card. The only add-on I have that is more demanding is the PMGD 747-400. If you like to fly in instrument meteorlogical conditions expect about 10 FPS as the weather drags the performance down considerably.
Conclusion
I would say $80 is expensive and it won't buy you much more than a pretty plane. You have to decide if the $80 price is worth it for a simulation with this bounty of visual splendor and a not so minor system issues. The system modeling has to be there to justify this high price. The trim issue is an unforgivable flaw which needs to be addressed. CS falls short of in their attempt to make a realistic simulation of the 727 that can be flown as it is in the real world. But it is easy on the eyes for those interested in making those Youtube videos where no one really cares about the systems. These CS 727 captain should sell well to that croud. If you want to actually fly it then your out of luck.
An admin on the Captain Sim message board put it this way.... "But we keep receiving comments pointing some differences between the real B727 aircraft and our product. Please be reasonable, it is not the real B727, it is just a software game!" PMDG and Level-D don't take that attitude so if you want a real attempt at an accurate flying simulation go to them instead.
Screen Grabs
This plane looks good from any angle especially with those huge flaps at 40 degrees. I couldn't stop taking pics!
Configurations
-100 Pax-100 Pax QW (Quiet Wing)
-200 Pax
-200 Pax QW
-100 Freighter QW
-200 Freighter
-100 Valsan Super 27 with -217 engines (sort of)
Initial Impression
Upon initial inspection I thought they did an amazing job with the visual modeling inside and out. It will pull you in and make you buy this thing. I was expecting a lot for the $80 they charge. This was the most money I have ever paid for an FSX aircraft add-on. I also liked the fact that this was DirectX 10 compatible even if there are some nagging issues with DX10.
Views
The simulation is well equipped with interior and exterior views. Interior views include a 3D virtual cockpit with perspectives from the captains seat, copilots seat, flight engineer seat, and main cabin view. All seat view positions swivel 360 degrees. Exterior views are left/right pax window views, landing gear view, exterior 360 view. The modeling done on this plane is the best I have seen. The detail is amazing both inside and outside. For this alone you will want to buy this plane. The screen grabs speak for themselves. One flaw I spotted in VC view was that at some of the panel joints like in the captains rudder pedal area the panels were not completely joined and you could see the ground rushing by throught the gap. Not cool!
System Simulation
The simulation modeling in contrast to the visual modelling is unfortunately very poor. It seems they took the time to get some simulations right like fuel dumping but forgot the important stuff. Roll and pitch rates were accurate but pitch changes that occur with flap extension weren't. To tell the truth I have never seen this accuratley modeled by any FSX plane. Engine sound was accurate as well as the slow spool up time of the old JT8D engines. The fuel system, electrical system, hydraulic system, pneumatic system were modeled accurately just like the real aircraft.
There were many systems I found to be poorly modeled. I noticed that the flap handle does not enter the detents and accordingly does not correspond to flap settings indicated on the flap indicator dials. The flap detent markings on the pedestal are incorrect. The real 727 has flap settings for 0/2/5/15/25/30/40. The flap handle markings in the sim are 0/2/5/15/20/25/30/40. The flap indicator gauge is correctly marked. The third detent which should be flaps 15 is marked flaps 20 but displays correctly on the flap indicator dial as flap 15. Just ignore the handle position and rely on the gauge as an indicator of flap position as they won't correspond.
The stick shaker stall warning system did not test when the switch on the test panel was actuated. The stick shaker should make noise and shake. it doesn't. There is no takeoff config warning horn, no landing gear config warning horn, no autopilot disconnect warning horn, and no pilot control input autopilot disconnect. The engines won't produce rated power. A realistic takeoff EPR cannot be reached. At 59 degrees F and 29.92 at sea level the max EPR I could get was 2.0 at firewall power. Takeoff EPR at those settings should be approx 2.12. As the plane climbs EPR drops as air thins and temperature drops. This is modeled, but since the takeoff power was so low upon flap retraction when you go to set climb power you are already below the climb power setting found in the Boeing manual. So keeping the power at firewall from the begining of the TO roll to Top Of Climb is completely unrealistic.
Another issue I found that was quite serious and particularly annoying was that the main stabilizer trim motor operates too quickly making flying the plane extremely difficult since precise stabilizer trim adjustments were impossible. These planes are hand flown and the trim simulation makes this a pain in the ass to fly. The cruise/autopilot stab trim operated correctly. I hope Captain Sim reads this and corrects that overbearing and annoying issue because it makes a nice plane suck!
There is no outside air temperature gauge which is imperative for setting engine power. There is no sound when the flap lever is moved, or the trim is in use. The only audio panel that works in the plane is the FE's. So if you want to identify navaids or hear maker beacons then you have to turn to the engineers panel and set the audio panel up. Uhhhhh.... OK.
Exterior Modelling
While the 3D graphics in the VC are stunningly real the aircraft series configuration is a bit of a mess. One configuration offered is the -200 Valsan Super 27 conversion with larger JT8D-217 engines in the #1 and #3 position. There doesn't seem to be any corresponding performance increase with flying the Super 27 which has 22,000 lb thrust engines in 1&3 position while the -100 had -7 engines rated at 14,500 lbs of thrust. If your going to offer us a Super 27 then make it a Super 27 and offer us the performance increase that goes with it. The FedEx freighter has bucket reversers which in reality is equipped with cascade reversers.
For some good news the flap modeling is fantastic and very accurate. The 727 has one of the greatest wings ever built. It was optimized for high speed flight, but with it's massive triple slotted fowler flaps and leading edge slats and flaps extended it had a great short field capability. I would like to see the leading edge flaps extend and sag when the aircrafts engine driven "A" system hydraulics are un-powered as they do in the real aircraft otherwise they did a great job here.
The doors are animated including the main cargo door, belly cargo doors, L1 entry with boarding stairs, aft airstairs, and engine nacelle.
Liveries
There are a lot of liveries available especially older classic liveries which is nice. The liveries are detailed and accurate.
Manuals
The manuals included are fine for flying the sim. They aren't too overwhelming and give you just enough info to fly the plane. There was no system overview, just a "this switch does this" rundown. There is no limitations section, or performance charts which is unthinkable in my mind. For accurate simulations you need a takeoff, climb & cruise EPR chart, and Go-Around EPR chart. Some V-speedcharts were included.
Checklists
Checklists are included.
Aircraft Configuration Editor
Both the freighter and the passenger version are equipped with their own load configuration editors for weight and balance. This is a nice feature. It would have been nice if they included fuel loading here as well. You still have to go into the fuel planner in FSX and fuel the plane.
Panel State Saving/Loading
Not Included
Computer Demands
This add on is very heavy on frame rates. The virtual cockpit view uses the most system resources. My system has a NVidia 9800 GX2 card (that's 2 GPU's) and I only get 25-40FPS. Expect 20-30 FPS with a single high end card and fewer with an older card. The only add-on I have that is more demanding is the PMGD 747-400. If you like to fly in instrument meteorlogical conditions expect about 10 FPS as the weather drags the performance down considerably.
Conclusion
I would say $80 is expensive and it won't buy you much more than a pretty plane. You have to decide if the $80 price is worth it for a simulation with this bounty of visual splendor and a not so minor system issues. The system modeling has to be there to justify this high price. The trim issue is an unforgivable flaw which needs to be addressed. CS falls short of in their attempt to make a realistic simulation of the 727 that can be flown as it is in the real world. But it is easy on the eyes for those interested in making those Youtube videos where no one really cares about the systems. These CS 727 captain should sell well to that croud. If you want to actually fly it then your out of luck.
An admin on the Captain Sim message board put it this way.... "But we keep receiving comments pointing some differences between the real B727 aircraft and our product. Please be reasonable, it is not the real B727, it is just a software game!" PMDG and Level-D don't take that attitude so if you want a real attempt at an accurate flying simulation go to them instead.
Screen Grabs
This plane looks good from any angle especially with those huge flaps at 40 degrees. I couldn't stop taking pics!
Cockpit
Cabin
Approach & Landing
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