review

This is a review of Aerosoft’s Flight Tales 1 by Jessica Bannister-Pearce.

Whenever we think of missions, we’re transported to a world of fast jets, big guns and targets needing destruction. These days, of course, things are different. With the inclusion of missions in FSX, we discovered the fun of flying, from landing on a moving bus to soaring like an eagle, to running out of fuel over the Indian Ocean. The missions are a great distraction from the monotony of a long haul flight, or simply to relax in a spare half an hour. When Microsoft first mentioned the mission system, there were those that claimed that FS was being ‘dumbed down’, taken away from its true simulation heart. I prefer to think of it as a way of opening up flight sim to a wider audience, And I think it’s working. As if to prove a point, just in the last few months, several developers have released their own add-on mission packs. Just Flight has Rescue Pilot, whilst Aerosoft has released ‘Flight Tales 1′. And boy, is it fun.

Meet your best friend here. He’ll guide you through the Tutorial

The Package is available as a boxed set or a download of some 90+ Megabytes, and once installed, you’ll find 10 shiny new missions in the FSX mission listings. Selecting the ‘Aerosoft flights’ section from the pull down menu brings up all 10 without the need to rummage around the whole list.

Each mission has a skill level, beginning with Beginner and ending with a rather interesting Expert level flight that will certainly test your skill as a pilot, but more on that later.

Starting at the beginning, your first mission is a tutorial flight; this simply takes you through how missions work, how to navigate and how to spot failures like fuel and oil leaks. The real beauty of the Mission system is that they come with scripted dialogue to make you feel like the co-pilot is really there chatting away before… Well, you get the picture. Aerosoft has done well here, though for a few flights, the regional accents can be hard to make out, so it’s best to keep the kneeboard open in case you misunderstand what the co-pilot/ATC or narrator tells you.

Easy now, don’t hit the others!

Once the first mission is out of the way, then it’s on to the serious stuff. The missions are all based on the default FSX aircraft, and Aerosoft have used as many as they could. This can be fun by itself, as several of the aircraft I hadn’t yet flown. The question then becomes what do you fancy. How about a job in the mail room, delivering letters in Alaska to a variety of small airstrips, or perhaps a few hours soaring in Australia (I have a soft spot for gliding, having completed a solo flight back in the early 90’s) This is the longest mission, as it’s open ended. If fun flying is your thing, then how about some aerobatics at Oshkosh, or a thrilling air race at Monaco. The choices are varied and you’re guaranteed to find something you enjoy. The most fun to be had, though, is the unpredictable nature of some of the missions, at least the first time you fly. There are built in failures, poor weather that only gets worse, and a cracker of an in flight emergency to deal with on one mission. I just wish there were more.

Who’d be a postman in this weather?

So, what else can I say about this great package, The missions are challenging, but there really is something for everyone, from the barnstormer, to the rescue pilot through the heavy iron pilot like me. Every mission comes with detailed charts, briefing and even designer notes for you to browse afterwards. All in all, a superb package only ever so slightly let down by a few thick accents, but for little more than €20’s it really represents great value. After all, how much fun can you really have at that price. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a date with a DC-3 in Peru, and it’s raining.

It never rains….

This is a review of Flight1’s Messerschmitt BF-109 by Paul Webster.

The Aircraft

Researching the Messerschmitt BF-109 for this review has been enlightening. I previously knew little about the Spitfire’s arch nemesis and I was surprised to learn that this aircraft not only has it’s rightful place in the history books but also in the record books too.

The BF-109 was produced in greater numbers than any other fighter aircraft in history. Mass production started in 1937 with the BF-109B seeing active service in the Spanish civil war. During the course of World War II alone, 30,573 were produced and post war the Spanish continued to manufacture the BF-109 under license (as the HA-1112 Buchons) until 1958.

The Bf-109 scored more aircraft kills in World War II than any other aircraft. One German fighter wing (Jagdgeschwader 52), which only flew the BF-109, was credited with over 10,000 victories (mostly against Russian aircraft over the Eastern Front). In addition to being Germany’s main air superiority fighter, the aircraft was used extensively for bomber escort, ground attack, and reconnaissance duties.

A very brief model history - The Messerschmitt BF-109E was the first variant that was produced in any numbers early in the war. The 109F was much revised and was the most favoured by pilots who generally agreed it was the best handling of all the variants. The 109G series was designed to be adaptable enough to undertake a variety of operational tasks such as long range and reconnaissance duties and saw the introduction of a special high altitude interceptor with pressurised cockpit and a nitrous oxide boost system. The last in line 109K series was a product of necessity due to limited finances and parts availability towards the end of the war, whereas the previous models had been heavily modified with a wide array of armaments, kits and factory conversions to undertake different roles. The aircraft was now consolidated back to a modular approach with each aircraft using the same basic parts.

So with interest well and truly roused, let’s have a look at Flight1’s offering of this Warbird of distinction, or “Germany’s greatest WWII fighter” as it’s referred to by Flight1.

The Product

This is the retail boxed product which includes the 3 last and greatest WWII variants of the BF-109 - the F, G and K models, for both FS9 and FSX. Each variant is available for download individually from the Flight1 website. However, if you want all three, it is cheaper to purchase the retail box. Despite the prominent label on the packaging stating “For Microsoft Flight Simulator X”, a look at Flight1’s website reveals that “This product was designed for FS2004, but it will work in FSX!”, a real bugbear of mine as I feel it is misleading to label up a FS9 product with no reworking for FSX in this way.

Along with the installation files for the aircraft, the CD contains a ‘Manuals’ subfolder, which contains a colour manual in PDF format for each variant type and a ‘Videos’ subfolder, which has promotional videos of a couple of Flight1’s other products (the Siai-Marchetti SF260 and Ultimate Traffic 2007). The manuals on the CD are worth printing out and using in conjunction with the printed manual, as both appear to have different but useful information included and the PDF manuals are in colour, unlike the printed manual in the box which is black & white. You will need to access the manuals from the CD, as they are not copied over to your PC as part of the installation process.

Installation

Installation is simple and straightforward. Insert the CD, choose your simulator (FS9 or FSX) and accept the defaults through the next 6 screens. I was somewhat surprised to see the space required by the installation was a hefty 1.2Gb, but once you start up FSX the reason becomes clear. Your aircraft selection screen now contains an amazing 30  - yes 30 - BF-109 model variants and this is without having ‘show all variations’ checked. Doing so results in a choice of 51 aircraft, nearly one for each week of the year. According to the box, we have 7 models and 7 textures of the pilots favourite 109F, 12 models and 13 textures of the multi-function 109G and 3 models and 12 textures of the last in line 109K. The choice is bewildering and certainly represents great value for money.

Getting Started

Prior to your initial flight, like many other add-on aircraft the manual states that you should first load up a default flight with the Cessna 172 at Seattle-Tacoma (KSEA), then change the aircraft to a 109 and move it to the airport of your choice and save the flight in 2D cockpit view, which, given the aircraft doesn’t have a 2D cockpit view, is a little disconcerting. We’re also advised to assign a joystick button for the “Release All Drop Tanks” command. Obviously, this is to enable full use of the long range versions of the 109. Dropping the tank results in a different set of aircraft configuration data being used, so you should experience the full impact on handling that lugging the extra fuel creates.

The Walk-Around

It’s not a complex aircraft, so there’s not a lot of detail to get right (or wrong). Certainly it looks like everything that should be on the aircraft has been modelled accurately. All the required control surfaces move freely. The canopy opens, allowing a better look at the pilot in his seat and dressed in authentic flying kit. My initial reaction, though, is not overly favourable. Comparing the default FSX aircraft lined up next to the Messerschmitt, it’s easy to spot the improved reflections, especially on the glass cockpits and bare metal parts, and although it makes no difference to the model, there’s no pilot animation, which you don’t seem to bother with when it’s there, but miss it when it’s not. Given this product is being marketed specifically as being for FSX, I don’t think the comparison is unwarranted, especially against the default aircraft. Of the 51 models/repaints available, none of the ones I looked at were rendered to show any obvious signs of wear and tear to the aircraft. All appeared, if not factory fresh, relatively new.

The Cockpit

As previously mentioned, the developers have chosen not to include a 2D cockpit, which is fine by me. As the manual states, “the 3D Virtual Cockpit (VC), is far superior to a 2D panel, and everything needed to fly the aircraft has been implemented in the VC”. Everything that should be there has been accurately modelled, though again, to the constraints of the rendering options of FS9. Some wear and tear has been modelled inside the cockpit, although in reality it seems token given the age of the aircraft and the use to which it was put. Unfortunately, the pop-up instrument labelling within the cockpit didn’t work, with the text being shown as black blocks, this may have something to do with my graphics settings, but I confirmed that these were working with my other FSX aircraft, both default and 3rd party.

Getting Going

OK, time to fire up the engines from cold & dark. This is made a bit difficult with the pop up labelling problem and any actual labelling in the aircraft being in German. Still, manuals in hand and a few clicks on the appropriate controls, the V12 engine comes to life and idles with a pleasing burbling rasp. Inside the cockpit, the sound is 3 dimensional. When you turn your head to either side, the sound gets louder in your ear nearest the engine. In spot view, however, there is no change to the sound set when rotating around the aircraft. I don’t know if this is a new FSX feature, but certainly the default planes in FSX sound different in spot view when your facing the prop to when your behind the aircraft and in some FSX payware models this is really well done with a definite 3D effect to the sound. Rather disappointingly, there’s not much difference in the sounds used inside the cockpit to those used outside.

Ground handling on the Messerschmitt 109 was notoriously bad. The landing gear is attached to the fuselage, giving the wheels a narrow track and the relatively small rudder had problems overcoming the strong slipstream of the propeller. Add to that the poor forwards visibility inherent with taildraggers and once rolling and before getting airborne you have an interesting time of it. All this is accurately modelled on Flight1’s 109. Getting the aircraft to turn whilst taxiing is certainly challenging. Without use of the barely effective differential brakes or throttle to counteract it, the tailwheel keeps the aircraft turning in a circle, even with the rudder steering the opposite way. Going in a straight line is equally as hard when you cant see in front of you. Pilots used to ‘snake’ the aircraft to get round this problem, but this had the unfortunate effect of exacerbating the problems with the narrow track of the wheels, sometimes ending up with the aircraft on its wing. Obviously, taxiing in spot view makes things easy, but it’s certainly cheating. Once lined up on the runway, taking off is also challenging. Unlike the other taildraggers I’ve ‘flown’, the nose doesn’t come down of it’s own accord once at speed. It takes a firm push down on the joystick to get the nose down and the tail up and once this has happened it’s time to give the joystick a push in the other direction to take off.

In the Air

The design brief for the Messerschmitt BF-109 was to concentrate first on top speed. Second priority was climb rate and the third consideration was maneuverability. This probably explains why the aircraft doesn’t handle as well as I thought it would in the air. Getting it to change direction takes more pressure on the joystick and more time than I thought it should for a fighter aircraft. Still, it’s good fun to chuck around the sky, especially when you get the contrails coming off the wing tips. Once you’ve finished making patterns in the sky, you can turn your hand to bombing runs with your fuel tank, or perhaps some dogfighting with the AI traffic. With no navigation aids to speak of, this is the kind of flying that you’ll be doing with the BF-109, unless you have VFR scenery and want to practice dead reckoning. Still, I guess those of you interested in putting a WWII fighter in your virtual hanger wont have the use of modern avionics high on your priority list.

The last Words

The Messerschmitt BF-109 is a record breaking piece of aviation history and so ought to be considered for anyone’s virtual hanger, especially if you are at all interested in military aircraft. Whether Flight1’s model is for you really comes down to what simulator you use. As a FS9 product, this is definitely worthwhile purchasing. In terms of value alone, including 51 individual models of an aircraft is, as far as I’m aware, unprecedented. The model is pretty flawless for the older simulator. Some rendition of heavier wear and tear both externally and internally on some of the models would be nice to see, but other than that, I can’t think of any improvement I’d want to see.

When it comes to FSX, the fact that there has been no reworking of the model to incorporate the latest enhancements leaves the model feeling somewhat flat, even when compared against the default FSX aircraft. I’m not certain that the product is fully compatible with FSX given the problem with the pop-up labelling and a couple of minor niggles with non-existent clickspots, but other than that it works well enough. Having said that, given the value this product represents, you might be willing to forgive the lack of FSX bells and whistles and if so, you won’t be disappointed.

Buy now (US) - Buy now (UK)

This is a review of Flight 1’s ATR 72-500 by Jessica Bannister-Pearce.

In the beginning, there were the props. And so it was until the 1950’s. Then came the jets. Slowly, the jets took hold and by the end of the 1960’s, the golden age of prop liners seemed to be over. The Bristol Britannia, the Vickers Viscount, and countless others began to slip from our airports. The Jets had won. Or had they? Jets were complex, thirsty creatures, and it soon became apparent to many airlines that operating jets that were only filled with a dozen or so passengers was costing them a fortune. Jets worked well at high altitudes, but on a 30 minute flight they rarely reached full efficiency. There was a hole in the market for a more efficient aircraft that could cruise at lower altitudes. Suddenly, the props were back. Advances in technology produced a breed of props ready for the new feeder market and the ATR was there waiting.

The ATR72-500 is the latest version of this popular aircraft. With more than 100 operators worldwide using an incredible 600 aircraft, ATR can certainly be crowned the queen of the prop driven skies. The Aircraft itself is a twin engine turboprop offering speeds up to 250 knots and a maximum cruise altitude of 25000 feet. As already mentioned above, many airlines use these versatile aircraft as feeder services to their main hub on routes that jets cannot fill. So lets take a look at what we get.

Waiting for passengers. Note the tail prop.

The Box

The box and packaging, as you’d expect, contains the DVD and pre-flight briefing manual (strictly for installing the aircraft and a very quick guide around the basics of setting up the aircraft).

Preflight

As is the case with many add-ons these days, starting a flight is never as simple as just selecting the aircraft in FS and away we go. The ATR is no exception. Before even loading flight sim, you’ll need to run the ATR configuration program first. This can be found nestling in the Flight 1/ATR folder in the start menu. We run this for various reasons. Firstly, we need to set the number of passengers on board. You’ll be confronted with a top down view of the cabin, and by clicking on any of the 72 seats you can place a passenger. Along with individual seat assignments, you can also choose that passengers gender and age. One click places a man in the seat, a second click changes that person to a woman. A third changes that person to a child whist a fourth empties the seat. Each choice alters the weight of both the passengers and cargo hold. (Presumably, we women need more suitcases). Both the cargo holds can also be altered. If you don’t wish to spend time assigning each individual seat, there are options for both full and empty load outs along with a random setting for those of you who enjoy surprises. Strangely enough, there are no options to adjust the amount of fuel. This still has to be done within FS.

Also contained within the configuration program are tabs to select various interior options for the ATR, from the colour of the cockpit (older style brown to new blue) to the type of cabin fittings along with a choice of Cold and Dark set-ups to Full engines running. There are also choices for high quality cockpit panels or standard quality for those wishing to run the aircraft on an older system. There are also options for seating position for the captain along with 2D panel views from just the captains side to a slightly extended version to include the engine gauges.

Anyway, once you’ve made your choices and loaded the aircraft, click save followed by exit and prepare for FS.

On FS start up, you’ll need to load a default flight, like the old C172 at Seattle. Once it’s loaded, feel free to change locations and such before choosing the ATR from the aircraft menu.

Exterior

The ATR is an awkward looking bird if you’re use to jets. Still, you have to admire the quality of the model provided. Included are three liveries: one house colour set and two others. Although sparse, Flight 1 do direct you to their website were a wealth of repaints are available for free. If you are feeling artistic, you can also add your own custom liveries via Flight 1’s Text-o-Matic program. This can also be found for free on the website.

The Devil is in the detail with the exterior.

Interior

Up at the front, the 2D panels are nothing short of excellent. All are clearly readable and if you can’t quite see them there are various click points dotted around to allow the captain to get an up close view. The VC is also well detailed with just about everything I clicked working. (A pet hate of mine is a VC with non-working switches, especially if the same switches work in the 2D panel). Gauges run with fluidity and frame rates don’t seem to suffer to any noticeable degree. There’s also a nice touch. You can open the cockpit door in the VC and take a view back to the cabin. You’ll need to switch this feature on via the add-on menu.

Peace and quiet before the “self loading Cargo” joins the flight. The cabin interior is your choice though.

Navigation

The ATR is a fairly modern airliner, which means that we have the ubiquitous FMS to program. Personally, I’m still getting use to FMS. They can seem complicated, and they are. This one, though, is fairly easy to use, if a little light on features. As always you begin with out of date nav data. A quick trip to Navigraph solved that problem, so on to programming the route. As with many FMS in FS these days you can either enter the route manually or just import the FS flight plan. If you opt for the former you’ll be able to save your own custom routes via the FMS. I prefer to use the latter however. The Performance Init page is found under the VNAV button. Setting the Zero Weight Fuel and Ground Weight points are easy, you simply click on the corresponding button next to the reference point required, and this imports the figures from the load manager. Interestingly, the VNAV section is only an advisory. There’s no VNAV button on the autopilot panel, so you’ll have to navigate referring to the FMS to check you track, rather than just letting George get on with it. There are settings for SID/STARS to be used but there may be a few gaps, as the airport I flew out of didn’t have a SID selection, when I know it has. Still, it’s only a minor niggle.

The simplicity of the cockpit just adds to the ATR’s reputation.

Getting Going

These Add-ons are complex, and as such I recommend printing out the included Aircraft Operating Manual, supplied by Flight 1 and found in the start menu. At 481 pages, it might be an idea to only print the sections you need. Included in the manual are two tutorials, which help you work through the start up procedures right to the shutdown procedures at the other end.

The first thing you’ll notice when powering up is the lack of an APU. The ATR isn’t fitted with one. Power is supplied by starting the right hand engine in ‘Hotel’ Mode. This basically means running the engine, but disabling the prop. Following the check lists will lead you to push back time. And with clearance we’re taxiing out. One of the things that bother me with props, is the need to feather them, adjust mixture and needing to move up to six different engine controls. They just seem complicated. With the ATR though, I needn’t have worried. The props are feathered automatically via leavers next the throttles. They have four settings. Fuel shut off, feather, auto and overrun. Feather is fine to taxi, whist auto operates during takeoff and flight. You don’t have to constantly adjust the props, which is a relief.

Overhead is easy to read. See if you can spot the APU though.

Takeoff comes quickly, and the ATR can climb quite quickly. With the maximum airspeed of 250 knots, you won’t have to worry about exceeding the below 250 knots limit below 10000 feet. Although progress could be said to be stately, the ATR never feels slow. Yes, a jet is quicker, but below 10000 there’s no difference. The ATR also feels quite nimble, even at low speeds, which makes landings easy to control. The flaps only have two settings - 15 degrees and 30 degrees, and at full flaps, the stall speed is amazingly low, almost Cessna like.

Slow and steady with full flaps.

Conclusion

So, Has Flight 1 done a good job? Well, the short answer is yes. ATR themselves approached Flight 1 to produce this fantastic simulation, so the Flight dynamics are spot on. The company wanted a flight sim to help show off their great little plane. There are bugs however. Not with the sim, but with the Manual. If you follow the first tutorial there are files missing, which was a shame. Added to this is a confusing check list. For example, after starting the right engine for power, you’ll be told to extinguish the lights in the hydraulics section. They won’t go out though, not without both engines running with both props spinning and set to auto. You’ll need to select Ground power whist parked to run the hydraulics. Okay, its not a big issue, but a better explanation in the normal procedures section could clear this up. In both tutorials you’re given load outs to enter into the aircraft. With the best will in the world, I could not make the figures match without changing the passenger count away from the figures provided. Another thing I’d like to see, is a blown up chart of the cockpit panels, making it easier to find the required switches, gauges and systems. With every flight, you’ll learn the aircraft layout, but a chart would aid the newcomer, removing the overwhelming nature of such a complex add-on. These are only minor gripes though.

Can I recommend the ATR? Wholeheartedly yes. It’s a great aircraft if you like hopping on the busy commuting routes in the US and Europe. Many pilots transition through the ATR’s onto the big jets. Now you can be one of them.

Pros

• Complex and accurate thanks to ATR’s own input
• A gentle aircraft to fly before transitioning to the jets
• Plenty of liveries available online for free.

Cons

• Flight Manual isn’t clear enough
• No clear diagram of the cockpit and panels.

This is a review of Flight 1’s Ultimate Airlines Super MD-80 by Jessica Bannister-Pearce.

Airliners are complex creatures. There’s a reason that it takes years of training and thousands of flight hours to be fully proficient in any given airliner. Yet as avid flight simmers, we demand the same level of complexity that a Captain experiences on a daily basis, brought to our home computers. From start up to shut down and all points in between, we seek to emulate the Captains and co-pilots without any of the costs and training. That’s where Ultimate airlines Super MD-80 comes in.

The MD-80 was simply the old DC-9 stretched and renamed, so called because the aircraft was to be in service by 1980. Technically it was designated the DC-9-80. To confuse matters, the model that replaced the MD-80 was the DC-9-50. It was an extremely popular aircraft with pilots and airlines, which offered high levels of reliability and a wonderfully quiet cabin thanks to its rear mounted engines. Ultimate Airlines Super MD-80 gives us all of that.

So where do we start? Lets begin with the packaging. What you get for your money is the usual DVD box, CD and several printed books. One is simply a catalogue of current releases, but of more interest were the installation manual along with a handy A3 size, double sided poster showing every switch on every panel, with a description of each one. (Believe me, this will be a godsend later on). Also included is the full 284- page aircraft operations manual in PDF format. You can find this tucked away in the Flight 1 folder in the start menu. Installation was simple and painless, with the installer giving us the option of both FSX and FS2004 versions of the aircraft.

Once flight sim has started, choosing the MD-80 is a little different than normal. Instead of the usual selecting of the aircraft from the front menu, we have to first load a default aircraft like the old Cessna 172, shut it down and then change the aircraft via the aircraft settings on the menu bar. This has something to do with the loading of the 2D panels within flight sim itself. Once done, we’re presented with a welcome screen telling us how to get started. This can be switched off once you’re used to the aircraft, but annoyingly the menu pops up every time you start a flight for the first time.

Welcome aboard!

The Cockpit

The CoolSky/Flight 1 team have thought about a great many things when producing this add-on, and one of the things they’ve thought about is how to select the various panels. Traditionally we use Shift+1, +2 etc, to select the overhead panel, or we use the various buttons on the flight deck, just like the default aircraft. CoolSky/Flight 1 have gone one better however by giving us a sidebar menu on the left of the screen. Normally hidden from view, bringing the mouse to the top left hand corner shows a little blue arrow, and by hovering over it, the side bar menu is displayed. Panels are graphically displayed as large thumbnails, making it much easier to select the right panel. This is a great idea in my opinion, and it does reduce the need for the keyboard. Also included in the menu, are several extra options, including V-speed charts, training centre, (more on this in a moment) and the dispatch centre. All are shown as thumbnails, just like the panels. The dispatch centre is certainly comprehensive.

Pick your panels from the menu on the side.

Rather than the standard weight per crew, per passenger and fuel, you’re given near ultimate control over your passengers, baggage and cargo. Increasing the number of passengers decreases the number of seats available. The seat assignments are random (just as in real life). There’s a handy randomise setting to help load out the flight if you haven’t really got a clue how many passengers you want to carry. You can also do the same thing to the fuel tanks, although randomising the fuel load seems like playing Russian roulette to me! The number of passengers and amount of fuel of course are extremely important to the Centre of Gravity calculations, more so than the old reliable B737. You’ll need the C of G to set the rear stabiliser for take-off. The figure is shown on the bottom of the dispatch centre screen.

Seat 25a Sir, May I take your coat?

There are problems here however. Using the dispatch centre can be a little hit and miss, with random crashes of flight sim happening when clicking the update FS button. This, I’ve discovered has to do with loading flight plans prior to choosing the MD-80 from the menu. To get around this, you need to select your airport without loading the flight plan until after the Dispatch centre has updated flight sim. Also, Vista users will need to turn off the User Account Control, or the new figures won’t be loaded in and you’ll be left staring at the screen waiting for the 2D panels to reload.

The Panels are all faithfully recreated, to a good standard, however some of the switch labels seemed a little blurry, requiring a closer look at the screen. There are also a myriad of internal views to choose from, including both captain and co-pilot views from two angles, plus an all over view from the back of the cockpit. The Virtual Cockpit is beautifully rendered, and is for flying a visual approach. Frame rates were surprisingly good, considering my middle of the road graphics card (A 256Mb Radeon HD2600XT) with figures generally exceeding 30 fps even in VC mode, dropping to around a still flyable 14-16 fps near the ground.

Waiting for the passengers

Exterior

The exterior of the aircraft is excellent, with moving panels such as flaps, slats, spoilers and gear all moving smoothly and realistically. A personal favourite are the reverse thrust buckets. Seeing the large buckets deployed just looks great. One grumble however is the lack of liveries for the MD-80. There are just 5 supplied, only 3 of which were familiar to me. FS2004 pilots get a few more from the CD-Rom. Thinking of this though, CoolSky have given us a repaint program for FS2004 (An FSX version can be downloaded from Flight1’s Website) so at least we get to add our own. The really good news is there are more than enough repaints out there on the web to satisfy anyone. Still it would have been nice to have few more liveries to choose from on the disc.

Exterior surfaces doing what they do best

Getting Started

This is not an aircraft that you can simply jump in and go, and as such you’d think that the novice pilot may be frightened off before even attempting a flight. CoolSky/Flight 1 have again given this some thought however, so off to the training centre we go.

Clicking on the training centre from the sidebar menu brings up 3 choices. Firstly we have the Checklist trainer, followed by the Procedures trainer, and finally the automatic aircraft configuration selector. Selecting the Checklist trainer, we’re presented with several choices, from Pre-engine start to Post flight shut down. Starting at the beginning we’re taken to the 2D cockpit. In the bottom right hand corner sits a new window displaying the appropriate checklist item with a description of what setting to place the switch or lever into. In the cockpit, a yellow arrow also points to the required switch or lever. In general this works well, but in trying to look good and be somewhat atmospheric, the font style is similar to an old typewriter. This means that the text display in the checklist window can be difficult to read at times. You can however select a different font from the options menu that is much easier to read. The Procedure trainer works in much the same way as the checklist trainer, taking you through the procedures from the Originating Pre flight checklist (Set aside around 10 to 20 minutes for this one!) to Engine shutdown. Finally the Automatic aircraft configuration menu lets you set the aircraft to any phase of the flight without the extra work of checklists. So for those who’ve only got time for a quickie, this is for you.

Follow the yellow Arrow, for it shall show you the way

Navigation

For pilots of the newer heavies, the MD-80 may seem a little different. There’s no FMC. Two separate computers control navigation and performance. The PMS (Performance Management Computer) deals with the fuel, weight and speed of the flight. This can be used in conjunction with the autopilot in lieu of the IAS hold button. Meanwhile the ONS (Omega Navigation System) is more like the forerunner of today’s FMC. There aren’t any flight plans pre-loaded into the computer as standard, So each individual flight plan needs to loaded from an existing plan in Flight sim. This differs a little from normal. You first need to create a flight plan as normal, but when you save it, it must be done with a specific file name. (E.g. EGFF-EGLL-12345) the last set of numbers being the flight number, to a maximum of 5 digits. (If you don’t save the plan like this it won’t be found.) Then, entering the Departure and destination airports in the ACARS control unit, along with the flight number, primes the ONS for switch on and loading of the plan. From there it’s the same as flying with an FMC via the autopilot. Think of the MD-80 as a Hybrid, stuck between the steam-powered aircraft like the old B727, and the modern Jets like the B777.

Autopilot

The autopilot or Digital Flight Guidance System is both familiar and seemingly more complex than the standard B737 system. The standard buttons are still there, but there are several functions that were new to me. The ‘Perf’ button for example engages the PMS in flying the aircraft, with it determining cruising speeds, climbs and descents. I found I preferred using this function as opposed to the standard ‘Alt hold’ ‘Vert Speed’ and even the ‘speed hold’ buttons. Of course you have to program the unit first to use it. The ‘Nav’ Function works with the ONS and the ILS and autoland systems work well, Mirroring today’s VNAV and LNAV functions.

The exterior modelling is second to none

Flying

Once you’ve gotten used to the procedures, checklists and other such things, the actual flying seems like a relief. When finally the time comes for take off, you advance the throttles and a welcome whoosh from the Pratt and Whitney engines greets your ears. CoolSky/Flight 1 recommend a top quality sound card, such as the excellent Soundblaster X-Fi, to get the most out of the built in sounds. And they’re not wrong. As you accelerate down the runway, your co-pilot calls out your speed, before you lift of a V2 and accelerate to V2+10 (again all called out by your friendly neighbourhood co-pilot) the gear comes up and at 1000 feet you retract the flaps and slats as you continue to climb. My favourite sounds come when deploying the speed brakes in the air or lowering the gear. The roar of the air over the wings sounds great. What struck me was how stable the whole aircraft felt, along with the sheer amount of power available to you. At full power the aircraft can easily accelerate to over speed, even in a climb, so watch that ASI. The Cruise is simple and quiet. Once you begin your descent you’ll need to watch your speed again, as in a clean configuration the aircraft is quite like a greasy weasel. It’s at low speeds though, that the MD-80 impressed me. With full flaps and slats, gear down and the throttles at ¾’s the MD-80 remains gentle and easily controllable. Even at full throttle the airspeed doesn’t reach over 200 knots. The result of this is one of the easiest, smoothest landings I’ve ever made, and with full reverse, full spoilers and brakes the MD-80 stops well before a trip through the grass. One thing to beware of is that when switching from reverse to Idle, the aircraft will move forward as the reversers lock back into place. (So Brakes are a must, especially if getting push back via reverse thrust. A legitimate manoeuvre I might add.)

Now that’s a great view. It just shows the level of detail Flight 1/CoolSky have put in to this aircraft

Conclusion

So what do I think of the MD-80. I can sum it up in one word - Excellent. CoolSky/Flight 1 has done an excellent job of providing on of the most complex simulations I’ve seen. Every aircraft system is modelled, and yet it never allows the complexity to overwhelm you, providing you with guides and help all along the way. Some things have to be done a little differently than we’re use to, but Both Vista and FSX run differently than many developers were used to, so the workarounds here allow us to enjoy this classic aircraft. The inclusion of the full aircraft manual is a real bonus, and I urge you to print it out and study it to really get the best out of this fantastic aircraft. Added to this package, although not mentioned yet, is the fantastic support provided by CoolSky. The forums are friendly and the development team provides support quickly. Personally I liked this aircraft so much, it’s now my default choice amongst my fleet. Flying in the 1980’s never looked or felt so much fun.

Pros

• Complex Procedural Simulation
• Excellent training sections

Cons

• Slightly different way to load in a flight
• Some panel switches hard to read
• Lack of Liveries supplied