When I first became aware that the guys over at Pilot's GesmbH were working on releasing a package revolved around the Classic Boeing 314 Clipper, I was as pleased as punch frankly and finally, I thought, here's something that I can really sink my teeth into. I will tell you up front here that the boys at Pilot's did not disappoint me and overall this is a wonderful aircraft-scenery package that will definitely keep my attention over the next several months!
Besides my real-world career and flight simming, the study of history is one of my greatest interests, particularly as it applies to aviation. So, over the last several weeks I have not only greatly enjoyed flying this wonderful aircraft package, I have also spent a great deal of time researching, reading, and studying all that I could find concerning the Pan American Clippers of the 1930s (see my attached feature, "The Romance of the Pan-American Clippers!" on the Pan American Flying Boats of the 1930s). Flying the beta versions of this aircraft has been a lot of fun, but they were just beta models and in reality were only a small window into what the final result from these fellows would be.
Following in the spirit of the book "Night Over Water" by Ken Follett (fictional novel), Pilot's Gesmbh wanted to assemble a package where one could relive history and experience a little bit of what it may have been like to have flown these Giant Flying Boats from the golden era of luxury air travel.
Pilot's GesmbH has been working on this package for some time and unlike most payware releases, this is truly a complete package including: Multiple liveries (including prototypes), fully functional 2D panel with authentically rendered gauges and functional systems (highly accurate to this aircraft as it was in the 1930s), a dynamic 3D virtual panel with virtual cockpit, full documentation printed in a style as if it were 1939, and a scenery package that includes 14 of the original Pan American Airways Marine Terminals (scenery) as they were in the late 1930s and early 1940s.
So let's take a look at Boeing B314 "The Clipper" (Night Over Water) by Pilot's GesmbH!
Installation
Installation is automatic from the CD, if you have auto-run enabled. Otherwise you will have to run install from the disc by clicking on the setup.exe file. As a security measure, you must install this program from the original CD (this is particularly true if for some reason you must reinstall the program), because just copying the aircraft-gauge folder over to another computer will not work, though it will allow you to view the aircraft for 30 seconds before it shuts FS2002 down. Don't misunderstand, you do not need the CD disc in your drive to use this package, you only need the CD during installation. Because the boys at Pilot's are all based in Europe, they did run into a small problem with the install because of some differences between the European and North American versions of Windows, but that all has been corrected with a small patch.
Aircraft
Originally, Boeing built only 12 of these giants and Pilot's have included 12 different liveries for you to enjoy (3 of the prototypes, 4 of the Pacific route boats, all 3 of the BOAC 314s, and 2 of the Clippers that flew the Atlantic routes). Visually, these aircraft are stunning, with their reflective texturing and their deadon accuracy in their overall shape, these are all FS aircraft that are equal or better than just about any other FS aircraft you would care to compare them to!
Considering that these aircraft were developed for Flight Simulator, you simply can't tell that they are in fact a digital representation a B314 and not a photograph, as the texturing available in FS2002 is highly realistic—and as you can see from some of my exterior screenshots (particularly the period black and white ones – see the accompanying historical account) just how excellent this FS aircraft design and appearance is!
These aircraft all have fully animated parts including: control surfaces, flaps, propellers, cowl flaps, and the side passenger door opens and closes with the <Shift>+<E> keys. Lighting effects are also very realistic and authentic to the aircraft of this era. The Boeing B314 Clipper lacked any kind of landing gear, but there was a specially designed beaching cradle that is included with these models. You can eliminate the beaching cradle by activating the gear key (G) or you can do so from the engineer's panel (you will get a confirmation of the cradle position from your copilot, of whom has a distinctive Austrian accent!).
Flight Dynamics
First of all, these are aircraft that do not exist today and the likelihood of any of the original pilots still being alive after the 50 some years since the last one flew is also doubtful. What are available is an abundance of written accounts and much of the original flight records from Pan American Airways (flight logs, distance, weather conditions, fuel used, etc.). Much of the original (published) data concerning the Boeing B314 was theoretical and was more along the line of Public Relations or Marketing rather than what was truly possible. In my research on this aircraft, I did run across some published data from NASA that was more along the line of engineering actualities rather than speculative theory. Fortunately, Pilot's stuck with what these aircraft could really do, rather than the propaganda that was being claimed by both Boeing and Pan American.
Flying these aircraft was all about weight management and you had to trade off passenger/cargo load along with speed and altitude for fuel endurance. At the time of the introduction of the B314 Clipper, Boeing published (along with Pan American) that this latest aircraft design was capable of carrying up to 74 passengers while cruising at 184 mph! Now, if you had loaded up one of these massive aircraft with a 74 passenger load along with the normal crew contingent of 10 to 12 members (as listed in Boeing's original B314 performance data sheet) and attempted to cruise at 184 mph (8,500 foot cruising altitude), you would be lucky to have enough endurance to cross the Great Salt Lake in Utah, let alone the Pacific Ocean!
If you carry sufficient fuel to fly from Treasure Island (San Francisco) to Pearl Harbor (Hawaii) your maximum passenger load simply cannot exceed 15 to 20 people, at most! In addition, for the most efficient wing angle (balanced between maximum lift with minimum drag) it was found that cruising under 4,000 feet elevation at 105 to 115 knots IAS was best for endurance (real-world). The airfile designer at Pilot's used these (realistic) factors when designing the airfile for their Clipper. I can confirm this, because I attempted to fly from San Francisco to Honolulu with Pilot's early Beta model and I did it by flying at 9,000 feet at or near full throttle—and I ran out of fuel just over 600 miles east of the Hawaiian Islands. With my second attempt at flying this same route, I used the fuel management techniques suggested by the Pilot's airfile designer and though I am only 400 miles into my second flight, my fuel consumption is about 50% less fuel consumed for the same given flight distance.
The general handling of this FS aircraft is probably pretty accurate; now I say probably, because there is no one around today that can confirm its accuracy, but based on the anecdotal stories I have read and flying Pilot's version of the Boeing Clipper, the Pilot's B314 seemed to be consistent with what I have read. Very heavy at slow speeds and requiring high power settings when full flaps are applied, plus the original aircraft (again, according to the many stories I read concerning comments from the original's flight crews) was very slow to react to changes in the pitch trim, but Pilot's has simulated that all quite well, thank you.
Handling in the water is another factor that must be considered and because you don't have the availability of a tug in Flight Simulator (they rarely did in real-life either), you have to use differential power for turning and maneuvering. I found that this is another plus for the Pilot's Clipper, because they've designed the throttle sets to match the throttle setup with the real-world versions and they basically work identically. The real-world Clippers lacked any kind of rudder/s and the propellers did not have reverse pitch, so maneuvering was totally dependent on differential engine power. The Pilot's Boeing Clipper operates the same and with practice, it is fairly easy to maneuver in this fashion. Another noticeable item was that with the original aircraft, you could feel the boat come up on the step at about 25 knots, it was only then that the crew would apply about 10 to 15 degrees of flaps. If you had calm waters and applied full flaps before you started your takeoff run, the Boeing would simply not takeoff due to suction created by the flying boat's hull against the water and then with the nose down attitude (created by the full flaps), the aircraft would stick to the water like a fresh water leech! I read one story about a Clipper crew, attempting to takeoff on an unusually calm day, that after 3 failed attempts at takeoff, they had to power up the starboard engines (over the port engines) and only after completing a circle (and running over their own produced wake) could they break that boat-hull to water suction and actually lift into the air! The Pilot's Clipper does not duplicate this exactly, but I did attempt to takeoff once after I had applied near full flaps before starting my run and no matter how much I pulled back on the column or applied pitch-up trim, it seemed as if I would never break water. I did eventually lift off, but only after I run about 3 or 4 miles across the open ocean out at Wake Island.
I believe that the airfile designers at Pilot's have done an outstanding job with the airfile for their Boeing Clipper and they apparently have duplicated what the originals were like to fly, which is no easy feat considering the natural limitations of FS2002 and the lack of living flight crew members to test it for them.
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Test
System
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Compaq 1.3GHz Athlon
Windows ME
286 Mb RAM
GeForce2 GTS
DVD, CDR-W
JBL speaker/sound
Saitek 3D Cyborg Gold Flight Controller
Compaq 19" Flat screen
FS2002 Professional Edition
Flying
Time:
34 hours over six weeks
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Flying past the Statue of Liberty with a Pilot's B314 Clipper.
Setting down in Lake Washington near Seattle, WA.
In this close-up, the navigators starshot bubble is clearly visible (top-center of the fuselage over the wing) and several of the other details of the development work from the group at Pilot's GesmbH.
Here I'm starting my 19 hour flight from Treasure Island in the San Francisco Bay out to Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. This aircraft trims out very smoothly and it (when setup properly) requires very attention to maintain level flight in calm air.
With the brakes set, mooring buoys and howzer lines appear
Here you can see this aircraft has opening passenger doors (use <shift>+<E>).
The night-lighting of the Boeing Clipper is very realistic and even the mooring buoys have small lanterns.
There's nothing like arriving at some distance exotic island, after nearly 20 hours aloft in this wonderful flying boat!
Here are four of the 12 liveries provided with Pilot's "The Clipper" package. Top Left: Dixie Clipper, Top Right: single tail prototype, Bottom Left: Bangor Clipper in BOAC markings, Bottom Right: the camo painted BOAC clipper.
Taxiing up to the pier at Pearl Harbor, we can note the soft lighting of the dock area and the static clipper nearby. Those small tugs will also light the edge of the landing area at night when you tune your com radio to a frequency of 118 MC on your approach.
This what the Captain sees and with the Clipper's large windows, it affords the pilot a good view for landing.
The bridge of flightdeck is both wide a quite roomy and here it the flight deck is being lit by the soft glow of the red night lighting.
From the radio-operator's position, you see the navigation chart table, the Captain's seat, and you even get outside view of the port side #2 engine.
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Sounds
Here the Pilot's group had to compromise, as there simply are no ready made sounds for the long gone Boeing Clippers, so they have substituted a very nice set of sounds taken from a Lockheed Super Constellation. Because the Super Connie used very similar engines to the Boeing Clippers, this is probably their (Pilot's) best choice. Pilot's purposely toned down the volume on their sounds to prevent anyone from disturbing their neighbors while flying the Boeing Clipper, but frankly I wished they had left them at the more normal volume settings I am used to. Minor point, but I thought it worth mentioning.
Panel
This is were the Pilot's group has easily spent the most time, as it probably should be, and frankly this is the first time that I've had a flight simming experience working with a fully functional panel and functional systems package designed for use with an FS propliner!
In today's world, the word "technology or high-tech" is used frequently to describe a new car, new aircraft design, the latest home computer system, or just about anything of a mechanical or electronic-computerized nature. Back in the 1930s, the word "engineering" was the term of use for that era and the Boeing 314 Clipper was at the top of the pyramid when it came to "engineering"!
You step onboard a modern 747-400 and enter the cockpit, you will be met with a crew of 3 (Captain, 1st Officer, and Flight Engineer) and a glass panel that is chock full of computer chips driving the latest in advanced computer design technology. If you listen in on the conversation of the modern-day crew, you will hear things like; GPS, SIDs, STARs, SATNAV, preprogrammed waypoints, FMC—well, you get my point and the only reason there are 3 crew members is because the law requires it. Climb onboard a Boeing 314 in 1939 and there you will find a Captain, 1st Officer, Radio Operator, Navigator, Engineer, at least two mechanics, an aircraft load specialist-engineer, a flight purser, cabin attendant, and probably a flight chef as well.
Pilot's group did not simply draw up a nice panel that is a nice representation of what was in the B314, leaving the actual functions to what is available in the default FS2002 (nav radios, GPS, and autopilot), but they have gone to great lengths to design every gauge and operate functionally just as it did in 1939. The only thing that Pilot's compromised on is with the availability of the default GPS, but it is only a secondary item.
The standard 2D panel gives you all your normal displays and flight gauges.
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The part of the overhead panel you normally can't see where you can control the instrument lights, beaching gear release, de-icers, and seatbelt signs.
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This is the throttle quadrant (located to the left of the captain with a second unit to the right of the 1st Officer). The throttle quadrant also has your trim controls (pitch and yaw), pilot's gyro (autopilot), and master mixture controls.
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This panel has the de-icers (carb), water in the fuel detection gauges, passenger area lights, master power (battery) controls, etc.
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I am not going to go into great detail on every single function that is included with their panel (you can do this yourself by going to the Pilot's website and downloading the freeware manual for this aircraft), but to give just one single example of how far or how in-depth they have gone with their panel design, I'll explain what you can do to control engine temperature.
There have been several releases (FS aircraft) that have operating cowl flaps, but your choices have been either fully open or fully closed. On the Pilot's B314, the cowl flaps are controlled from the engineer's panel by four levers. If you pull (using your mouse) a cowl lever slowly open, the actual cowl flap on the engine you've chosen also opens slowly. When you open a cowl flap on an air-cooled radial engine, this allows more air to circulate and the engine will cool down. On a modern engine you have a device called a thermsister transponder that converts thermal energy into an electronic impulses that are converted into a temperature reading (digital) by a program in a computer chip. On the engines the B314s were equipped with, they had an electrical resistance bridge attached to the cylinder base and another on the cylinder head for the primary cylinder of each row of cylinders (the engines the B314 used were twin-row 18 cylinder radials, so each engine had two primary cylinders). On the engineer's panel (Pilot's B314), you have a rotary dial or switch that has a faceplate that is divided into four sections (one section for each engine) and each section is divided further into four parts (base one, head one, base two, head two). You select which resistance bridge you want to measure the temperature at, then you read a value number from a potentiometer gauge. The problem is the value on the potentiometer will be affected by temperature variations because of the temperature change in the wire connecting the gauge and the engine, so you first need to calibrate or zero out the gauge before taking a reading. The panel with Pilot's B314 does all this and it functions and reacts exactly as it would on the real aircraft. I noticed that if I made a moderate change in the cowl flap for one particular engine, the temperature (potentiometer) reading also changed moderately, but if I made a big change in the cowl setting I got a big change in the temperature reading! This is extraordinary attention to detail and I for one really appreciate this.
Now, this all may sound complicated, but believe me, it is not and after studying the downloadable (free) manual for a bit, you too should find flying this FS aircraft an easy and a rather enjoyable experience I would expect. Just remember, flying this FS aircraft you are one person having to perform the functions that normally took 3 or 4 people to do, but then again this aircraft moves fairly slowly (less than 125 knots), so you will have all the time you need to complete all the necessary duties.
Port and starboard main generator output display gauges (amperes and voltage).
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This is the main panel for the engineer and it has everything, prop speed control, engine readouts, temperature potentiometer-pyrometer, browser bypass controls (allows pilot's gyros or autopilot to function), mixture controls, cowl-flaps, etc. Everything you see here operates and is functionable here!
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Radio panel (communications and navigation radios).
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In the lower right-hand corner is the one and only instrument relaying on anything FS2002 default, the GPS.
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In addition to the 2D panel, Pilot's has also included a dynamic 3D virtual panel and cockpit and I found this the preferred position for cruising and landing, after I have the aircraft controls and systems balanced and set. You can also move all around in here and because of the volumous size of the cockpit or bridge of the Boeing 314 Clipper there is a lot to look at, whether that be the radio operator's panel, the engineer's panel, navigation chart table, or maybe you just want a better view of this aircraft's massive 18-cylinder radial engines in action!
The central feature or heart of this add-on package is most definitely the panel, both with its operational accuracy and with the full functionality it offers.
Looking to starboard from the Captains seat, Pilot's Clipper has a reasonably good virtual panel.
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Looking rearward in the cockpit bridge area, you have the crew member stations and that rear opening panel leads to the upper bubble for the navigator to take star shots (sextant) and it also accesses the crawl tunnels (out the wings) for the mechanics to use if in-flight engine repair is called for. Also visible is the flight engineer's position and panel (far upper left).
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Looking directly at the radio-operator's seat and radio gear with the flight engineer's panel just to the right.
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Scenery
The boys at Pilot's could have stopped their project when they had their B314 for FS complete, but they did not, as they have also included 14 sceneries of the original Pan American Marine Terminals around the world. Each scenery or terminal design was taken from the original blueprints used to build the actual facilities in the 1930s, so their authenticity is guaranteed, plus the manual includes a copy of each facilities' (only those locations included with this add-on package) original blueprint! The Marine Air Terminal (Seaplane Bases) locations included with this package are; Auckland, Bermuda, Botwood, Canton, Foynes, Guam, Horta, Manila, Noumea, Pearl Harbor, Shediac, Southampton, Wake Island, and Treasure Island (San Francisco) plus they have also included a scenery improvement for the airport (land) at Canton.
Back in the 1930s and 1940s, the Pan American Clippers avoided landings at night, except during emergencies. If a flight had favorable tailwinds and they arrived prior to dawn, they would normally circle offshore until one hour after sunrise before attempting to land. If landing at night was necessary though, the local Pan American Terminal would send out small boats with torches to light up the edges of the landing area. Pilot's has included a feature with "The Clipper" where you can, by tuning your com radio to 118.00 MC, have small boats with torches do this in FS2002 and this feature is available at all of the Pilot's scenery add-on locations! Excellent!
At Auckland there are dynamic seagulls, a lighthouse, and a small Pan American repair depot-hangers.
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In Bermuda, we've got a large tarmac for beaching the monster flying boat and complete repair facilities as well.
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Of the sceneries included with Pilot's The Clipper, I believe Treasure Island is the best rendered. Comparing this scenery to actual photographs from that era confirmed the accuracy of the scenery
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Dynamic seagulls, period buildings, properly marked piers, and numer-ous other details highlight every scenery included with this add-on package.
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Documentation
As I have already mentioned, the manual for this add-on package is available as a free download (PDF format) from Pilot's GesmbH website and I assume that it (the manual) is included with the boxed version of "The Clipper".
First of all, the manual is printed in a style that appears like it was typed on an old manual Royal typewriter, which I kind of liked because it adds to the nostalgic value of the whole package. But don't be fooled, this manual has the answer to every possible question or concern you could possibly think of and it most likely goes beyond that. I have the downloadable version, which is in the PDF format and it is 63 pages in length and because there are few graphics (pictures), that is 63 pages of typed information and everything is there, from the history of the Boeing 314 all the way to a section titled "Tips, Tricks, and Things We Found"! Every single gauge is described, explained, and includes a tutorial on its operation and there are even sections covering special flying techniques or another on recommended operational procedures (taxiing on water or starting and warming up, etc.). If you have even a moderate interest in this add-on package, I suggest you download the manual from Pilot's, because many of the questions I haven't answered with my review, most certainly will be answered with their manual for this package.
Summary
I believe it is obvious that I really liked this add-on package, as I've done little to hide my enthusiasm for it, but with that said, I would also add that I haven't lost my objectivity either. Just because I personally happen to like flight simming with vintage or classic aircraft doesn't mean I will blindly accept anything someone gives me free for testing. Simply put, this package in my opinion, is worth far more than the $34.95 (US) Pilot's is asking, for its overall value. Pilot's GesmbH has a sure winner here and if you have even the slightest interest in the roots of modern commercial aviation, then you owe it to yourself to relive the experience of commercial aviation's grandest and most romantic period by flying one of the Pan American Clippers across the Pacific or Atlantic—and now you can do it with Pan American's grandest flying boat of all, the Boeing B314 Clipper!
Head on over to Pilot's 'The Clipper' website to order this one.
