Should I buy it or not?

[realpilotsimpilot 11]

I thought about buying this, but then moseyed on over to the LDS forums here and found some rather hostile customers support there. Yes, its the unofficial forum, but its patrolled rather ruthlessly. In the end, I didn't buy it and am playing around with some Captain Sim vintage products.

[Cras 6]

You should be asking the question on the LeveL D forum not here.

Yhea, good luck with that.The Level D 767 is a good ship. The only beef is the horrid support.

[Paul_Smith 92]

Yhea, good luck with that.The Level D 767 is a good ship. The only beef is the horrid support.

Ah now, that is not fair. Poor Daryl has been answering the same questions again and again and again for six years now. It is hardly surprising if he gets a little impatient now and again.

[dbw1 445]

I have had the level D for quite a few years.As to support from Daryl I can only say my experience has been superb. This is a fabulous aircraft to fly. While it is a little "older" in graphics don't let this deter your decision on whether to purchase......The experience of flying a 767 with level D is as good as it gets. Dave

[Andrea1 6]

In my opinion, anyone who places the LDS over PMDG's 744 or MD11 hasn't done a proper inspection of the manuals and failure system. The 744 and MD11 are true to the real bird in the most obscure of ways, and that is what puts it on top for me. It is immersive, but really doesn't have the full immersive experience than that of PMDG.Hi,in my opinion LDS 767 and PMDG products are on top at the same level togheter with very few others products like Leonardo Maddog2008 (now 2010) etc.we're very powerful computers etc etc but until now are very few the top quality FS software you can find (I mean a realistic products, having the most part of realistic systems, features, a failure generator etc. etc.), to give you an idea while we all are awaiting for the NGX according to me the old PMDG 737 is always a very good product matching almost all the "numbers" of the real Continental B737 performance tables etc. etc.And in the year 2011 we've always awaiting the first good simulator of an airbus plane!CiaoAndrea

[Cras 6]

Yhea, the Maddog is probably the closest product out there to a PMDG level, with the systems, and the failiure system. The LDS has those things, but at a tiny bit under in terms of totality. But the LDS is also extremly frame rate friendly. And I say the LDS 76 has a better VC than the Maddog. I think the Maddog, as much as I love to fly it, has a sad excuse of a VC considering when it was made, compared to the LDS which has a date VC, but was also made years ago.

[ESzczesniak 128]

Be aware there is an oddity of the LDS if you have FSX-Acceleration installed. I used to call this a full out bug, but a reasonable workaround was found something like 4-5 months ago. Operating all things as normal, if you're running Acceleration the engines will "double start" (spool up, then down, then up again and ignite). This mucked with the power transfer and dumped the FMC performance data in the process.You'll have to look at the LDS forums for the full details, but if you do have Acceleration installed, there is a reasonable workaround. You map one of the FSX commands for engine fuel valves(or switch or something) to a button. Immediately before engine start you press these once to turn them off. Then start the engines like normal and shortly after putting the selected engine fuel switch to "run" (I believe when N2 maxes out) press this mapped button again to turn whatever it was back on. All works well if you follow this procedure.

[ESzczesniak 128]

The CaptainSim planes have fully working FMC's...

As I recall it, they have functioning FMC's, but not fully. It's been quite some time since I've flown the CS 757 (bought it cheapish, but it just wasn't polished, particularly AP functions), so my memory could be failing. However I thought some of the pages like HOLD, maybe FIX, etc. didn't do it all like the LDS. I also have some recollection that you couldn't modify VNAV profiles in the FMC, although I may be thinking of the Airbus X on this one.

[JC75 22]

Quite simply one reason it out performs every single other product at present SDKAs great as all the other products are, and the features they contain - the design of the VC etc There is nothing immersive as one poster put it however much you read the manuals, dim the lights, put your pilots uniform on etc, if you then have to click with a mouse to change heading, speed etc. Or click a swtich on.This is why the 737ngx will be a excellent product because it will come with an SDK that will allow you to properly interface with the sim. When Im hand flying a go around, i dont want to be scrambling for my mouse to click on speed, or rearm parts of the autopilot.The VC in the 747 is dated also, doesnt scale that well on three 22inch monitors, application of turning knobs etc isnt as good as the LevelD.Yes the levelD VC isnt as good as the JS41 or upcoming 737/757 but it looks good enough for the majority of your flying, the overhead probably the worst feature, but as I dont have to click on it, as controls are mapped to hardware, who cares I tend to be looking out the window and at the PFDS.I dont have to worry about 2D popup FMC, because again the SDk allows it to interface with a hardware FMC. When we have a 747 with SDK, when we have a 737 with SDK, with the super VC that we expect now, then yes the levelD 767 will find its way into the hanger - but only if the actual flying of these new planes is good also, because again the actual flying of the 767 is superb.You can patch the sound on the 767, the updated VC makes it slightly better, but there is nothing you can do at present about using the 747 or MD11 with hardware.(without being forced into a very expensive and limited options hardware route with FSLABS)The 767 is going to be around for me even when the 737 comes out, because unitl the 747 is re-released as great as the 737 will be it still wont have the range for some of the flights I like to do.Regards

[ajpongress 467]

The FMC is a static image, which forces the user to pull up a 2d panel. Not good, especially during high workload situations.

How can anyone read the FMC in a VC without zooming in on it.If I have to zoom in on it, I might as well bring up the 2D FMC which is already at a readable size and it's easier to press buttons as TrackIR head movement doesn't screw up mouse cursor placement (plus LVLD let's you map a key to enable your keyboard as a direct input to the FMC. Makes it much easier to type numbers with the NUM keypad and type in waypoints/airports).

....Also, the radio pedestal is non functioning in the LevelD VC.

Not true. It works very well in VC, including standby frequency swapping. Again though, if you have to zoom on it, might as well pull up the very legible 2D panel.

[Terrence Klaverweide 0]

Still one of the best. And I am not saying that cause we are doing HD textures for it. Bought the FS9 version (8'ish years ago?) and did not hesitate to upgrade to the FSX version once it came out. To me, it doesn't look outdated. With the right textures (which you can also find here in the file library) it looks solid and the best thing : It is absolutely awesome on the frames.Together with the PMDG heavies a must have for any simmer, 767 fan or no 767 fan.Have fun with your purchase..

[HUSSAR 272]

Still one of the best. And I am not saying that cause we are doing HD textures for it. Bought the FS9 version (8'ish years ago?) and did not hesitate to upgrade to the FSX version once it came out. To me, it doesn't look outdated. With the right textures (which you can also find here in the file library) it looks solid and the best thing : It is absolutely awesome on the frames.Together with the PMDG heavies a must have for any simmer, 767 fan or no 767 fan.Have fun with your purchase..

Welcome to the forums Terrence, haven't been to McPhat in a while... good to see you here.Robert

[Terrence Klaverweide 0]

Thanks, but I've been on here for quite some years now (not really a high roller poster though), but I did a Facebook connect a few days ago and for some reason I lost my account/made a new one in the process. I liked Facebook connect better before people went all 'privacy' on them and they made you HAVE to link it to an existing account/make a new one. The whole idea of Facebook connect went out the door right there.

[Guest dlrk]

The Level D is quite good, but it's worth noting that it has several serious bugs and development has been abandoned. Still if your on FS9 or FSX without acceleration, I'd recommend it.

[DShutt 14]

This is the PMDG forum, but this last comment deserves a response (hope you don't mind, Tabs) ..."several serious bugs and development has been abandoned"False.