The best "classic" passenger jet? (up to about 1970ish)

[MrBenevolent 0]

Looking to broaden my FSX horizons with an old-school jetliner...

 

Considering the Captain Sim 707, but is this the cream of the crop from that era? I only got the beans for one purchase this month!

 

Is there a high-quality L-1011 or DC-10 I should go for instead or is there something a little older that is worth considering?

 

Usual criteria apply - high quality VC and model along with accurate systems etc - you know the drill!

 

Cheers all

 

:)

[chrisal 9]

To start this off you must have a look at David Maltby's freeware jetliners. In particular the Comet with it's vc and systems is an absolute classic. They are originally FS9 but are fully operational in FSX.

www.dmflightsim.co.uk

 

Chris

[Tatave 57]

I've got the CS 707, and it's pretty much what you're looking for. You'll need to learn how to fly with the INS though. I can also recommend the CS 727, and IIRC it can be flown VOR to VOR.

 

AFAIK, there are only two payware L1011s, the Aerosim and the Perfect Flight, which are really for beginners to intermediate level, and there is the CLS DC-10, although it's also for simmers who aren't looking for the most detailed of addons.

[Matthew Kane 1,343]

My favs are the CS 707 and 727.

 

I haven't got the CS 737 yet.

[fsx 0]

The CS737 and 707 really are awesome, despite all the negative comments that bat about from time to time. The aircraft feel authentic, fly very convincingly and the sounds are great. I highly recommend them.

Erich

[Chock 17,769]

Your primary choice if you want a lot of systems would be the CS 707. There's a review by me in the Avsim reviews sections which details all it offers, which includes INS, Doppler, and VOR navigational capabilities. The CS 727 is also good (also has a review by me), but only offers VOR navigation, or there is the newer CS 737-200, which is VOR but also offers a PCDS for some flight management.

 

If you can stretch to about 1972, then the Simcheck Airbus A300 fits the bill as well, and that does have good systems modeling, including the flight computer which the A300 had (guess what - there's an Avsim review of that by me too). It is an excellent add on.

 

If you want to go a bit less detailed on systems, but not completely dumbed down, then Just Flight have a few good offerings where older airliners are concerned, although many are props rather than jets, i.e. the Constellation, Viscount and DC-6, although they do also do a DH Comet which is fairly detailed, but check screenies of the VCs, since they are not everyone's cup of tea, being rather clean and new looking.

 

CLS do a Boeing 747-200/300 which is good, but keep in mind that this is shortly going to be updated with a more fancy version specifically for FSX, although the present one is nice and does work okay in FSX, albeit not natively.

 

Sky Simulations do an FSX DC-9, and that's pretty good actually, offering a lot of the variants in one package, although there is a much fancier DC-9 on the way from another developer shortly, so you might prefer to wait.

 

Then of course there is the best old school airliner of all, not a jet though, that being the A2A Boeing 377 Stratocruiser, which was essentially a commecrial version of the Boeing B-29 with an enlarged pressurised fuselage.

 

As a last ditch possibility, Aerosim's Classic Jetliners (Vol 1 and 2) offer some older stuff for FS9 which can be ported into FSX if you swap out instruments in the VC. Among these is a DC-10, L-1011, DC-8, 747-100, and a few other older things which have since been done better for FSX by other developers.

 

A bit of time with ISG and FS Panel Studio can drag some of the simpler ones up a few levels too incidentally if you have the time and inclination to tweak.

 

Al

[MarkW 1,491]

Just a word of caution on the CS727. It is not complete and needs a number of tweaks to get it to a point where it works more like the real thing. Also, and this is very important, if you do not have Accelleration installed then on the CS727 the autopilot V/S selector only moves in one direction....its a real pain and in need of a fix.

[Ecosse_821 24]

+1 entusiastically for Dave Maltby's planes. They are really great and fun to fly.

 

I really like the CS727, but the previous posters are right that you must be running Acceleration and have done some tweaks to it. But once you get it "right", it is fantastic and a real joy to hand fly.

 

The Historic Jetliner Group has some awesome planes. I love their DC-9, BAe-146, L1011, and the MD-80 series.

[Fatback 84]

Thanks Al, didn't realize there was a good A300 out there. Just bought it and did my first flght and I'm happy. I would highly recommend it...

[audiohavoc 24]

I would wait for the Coolsky DC-9 if you want to make one purchase. It looks like it could be the best "classic" airliner on the market when it is released. Go to their website and scroll down to see a few posts about the aircraft:

 

http://www.coolsky.no/

[vololiberista 205]

David Maltby's VC10. Although functionally a bit bare. With the cockpit updates on Avsim added it beats any payware hands down!!

As for the real aircraft. Well, it still holds the record for the fastest subsonic commercial jet crossing of the atlantic save for Concorde. And although limited to mach .84/.86 for in service schedule it often exceeded that and can comfortably fly at 0.93 right on the edge of its envelope!

It was the first "fly by wire" airliner beating the A320 by a number of weeks! It was an a/c ahead of its time when first built and many of the innovations are built into the Airbus'. This is the 50th Anniverary year of the first flight and there are still nine a/c in service.

vololiberista

[Barnstormer1 0]

B727 and DC9 classics of the 60's and 70's era.

[MrBenevolent 0]

Thanks all for the replies - especially Chock's impressively comprehensive effort!

 

Looks like I am not barking up the wrong tree with the CS707 then...and I think it is $20 off at the moment, so...

 

Will definitely try the free offerings from David Maltby too - would be silly not to at that price.

 

That DC-9 looks great. If I get on well with the 707 then I can see myself looking at that when it is released.

 

Chock[/color]' timestamp='1335697881' post='2354841']

If you want to go a bit less detailed on systems, but not completely dumbed down, then Just Flight have a few good offerings where older airliners are concerned, although many are props rather than jets, i.e. the Constellation, Viscount and DC-6, although they do also do a DH Comet which is fairly detailed, but check screenies of the VCs, since they are not everyone's cup of tea, being rather clean and new looking.

 

I already have me a Just Flight DC-3 and DC-6...and I think they are pretty decent, but as you say, the VCs always look fresh out of 3D max and I always feel slightly sad as to how many of the switches are inert...even if I have no idea what they all do!

 

I keep wondering about that B377 Captain of the Ship package - I have the A2A Accu-feel and their ** Spitfire, so I am confident in the quality of their output!

 

One to put on the list then I guess.

 

:Thinking:

[MrBenevolent 0]

...

 

So I have now read and digested Ted's and Alan's reviews on the B377 "Captain of the Ship" and the CS 707 respectively (great work guys) and I am now wondering whether I need the B377 in my life more than the 707!

 

I got one more purchase authorised by the wife this month so which is it to be...

 

Oh the agony of choice!

[MrBenevolent 0]

Heh - well so much for the 707 - that is now on June's list.

 

I am the proud owner of a new B377 Stratocruiser, plus crew.

 

...downloading now!

 

Again - thanks for your help everyone, will definitely be hitting up the Captain Sim store soon through your recommendations.