FSX-MS JF's Ls1011 or Captain Sims?

[tandy 1]

I'm reading reviews on both versions of the Tri star ls1011 and I'm fairly undecided into which one to choose? I've heard the Jf's version also features a FMC is that case with Captain sims too? Overall any 1011 pilots have any thoughts on the aircraft?

[untoweechja 35]

I have the Captain Sim L1011 and fly it regularly.  It does not have an FMC in today's sense of the word, but it does have an INS that provides rudimentary (but quite advanced in its day) FMC-like capabilities. 

 

If you don't want to manually program your route into the INS the 'real' way (it can only hold nine waypoints at a time, so unless your flight is a short one you have to periodically update the INS with the LAT/LONG info for your route) you can import a flight plan and push a couple of 'cheater' buttons to have the INS follow the plan through the whole flight.  Be aware that though it appears there are two INS systems in the virtual cockpit, they are slaved together and function as one.  

 

If you're so inclined, you can also add the freeware CIVA INS which is more realistic than the stock option, but you only have access to it via 2D panels, not the VC.  I've not tried this myself, but I know there are other CS L1011 enthusiasts who have done it and like it.  The CIVA option will give you two (or even three if I recall correctly) independent INS devices.

 

I don't know how JF's offering fares, but I give the CS L1011 a thumbs up.

[stretch1365 40]

Hi tandy,

 

I have both version's of the Tristar that your looking at, and the above comments about the CaptainSim version are quite correct. CaptainSim got quite a beating over some of their products recently but the Tristar was a great product from the outset I found.

 

The JustFlight Tristar depends on which one your looking at, they still sell the Tristar and the Tristar Pro as two separate products. The basic one is more akin to one of their F-flight basic range and didn't fly very well in my opinion, it kept diving in a turn etc. You do get a number of liveries which come with a simplified INS and then you get the same models again with a simplified FMC. Alot of the systems weren't modelled very well if at all and so justFlight to their credit went back and redid the Tristar as the Pro version.

 

The Pro version is a big improvement over the basic one in my view. There is a much better INS system and the FMC is alot better and has more functionality.  The systems are modelled in greater depth too, although some things you have to access through a 2d pop up menu, which I don't like much but others do. It does fly very well, but alot of folks have struggled with landing it as it suddenly goes nose up on approach if your speed drops. JustFlight have said that it is modeled closely to real life numbers and indeed if you follow the numbers exactly it does indeed land beautifully, so maybe that is us simmers not being as good as we thought. My biggest criticism, is with the cockpit night lighting which I experienced for the first time last night and isn't very good, alot of the dials are too dark and none of the lighting appears until the sim is virtually black outside the window.....I have asked on their forum for any info on sorting this out.

 

The two Tristar's are different though, the CaptainSim one is a Tristar-1 i think, which has a longer fuselage and shorter wings, less powerful engines and shorter range. There are quite a few free repaints for this version in the library here including an RAF C1, version if you want a military one, although the RAF version was  a Tristar-500 in real life. 

The JustFlight version is a Tristar-500, this had longer range, with a shorter fuselage and a longer wing, more powerful engines. The JustFlight version also includes an RAF refuelling tanker with refuelling drogues which you can deploy from the VC in flight, although no aircraft come to take fuel. So if you want an RAF version the Justflight one is technically more accurate than the CaptainSim version. There aren't any repaints of this one, that I have found anywhere, although JustFlight do a paint kit but I think it is a bit tricky to do and most folks seem to have shied away from it, JustFlight do some livery packs though if you want more liveries.

 

Personally I think they are both good in slightly different ways although I would edge towards the CaptainSim version myself, it seems more complete and bug free, has tons of additional animations if you like that kind of thing. It flies nicely in freeflight and has better cockpit lighting which is a let down for me with the JustFlight version.

 

If you have any more questions then I will try and help answer them as best I can. I hope you enjoy flying whichever version of the Tristar you decide on in FSX. It really was a way before it's time aircraft that sadly never got to see it's full potential in my view.

[walterzach 2]

I have the JustFlight Tristar - and gets dust in the hangar.

Totally unsatisfied of that aircraft!

Poor Sound atmosphere.., Battery Sound low - and no APU Sound.

While taxiing you feel like in a magnetic monorail, absolutely quiet!

Many switches are clickable.., and lights go on or off - but all that has no consequence to the behavior of the Aircraft Systems.

The only one Highlight is the INS Navigation System..

[vc10man 732]

 

 

Tristar was a great product from the outset I found.

Ditto here. Only wish I it was Prepar3D compatible. I reckon I'll wit for the fire-sale to pick the P3D version.

[jhaley101 20]

Why not use HJG's version.   Free, tons of paints, good modelling.     

 

Just sayin'

 

JH

[Avantime 81]

Also don't forget that the JF Tristar (both PRO and LITE) does not have NAV2 or HSI2 - the Copilot's HSI is an exact mirror of the Captain's HSI and receives raw data from NAV1 only. Gets tricky with VOR-VOR navigation, or DME arcs.

 

Also with the JF Tristar you have to pay for livery packs, but there are many more liveries. Quality of graphics however does not compare to Captainsim. (As you can obviously see in the screenshots, Captainsim is pretty much at the top of the business in terms of eye candy.)

 

Finally IMO they're both complimentary products - Captainsim has the -1 while JF has the -500.

[stretch1365 40]

I agree with Avantime above. We waited so many years with no decent Tristar in our sim and then suddenly we get two quite different products but of two different versions of the Tristar almost at the same time, and kinda get spoiled for choice, then we forget how lucky we are.

 

I think both products do have their place in our sims but for different reasons, and we should be grateful we actually have a choice to make.

 

For what effectively was a small production run of aircraft I think only 250 of all versions it is amazing the Tristar has such a large following. I have to boast here as the last remaining flyable ones in the world except the NASA one, ie the last six RAF Tristar's are parked at an airfield just two miles from me and I see them everyday going to work, ah big sigh, that one day someone might take pity and buy them all and keep them flying just a bit longer.

[tandy 1]

Cheers for the info guys, I've purchased the captain sim's version however I'm wondering is there a flight tutorial of any kind, unfortunately I'm unable to find anything that resembles one, unless I'm missing something.

[flibinite 18]

Cheers for the info guys, I've purchased the captain sim's version however I'm wondering is there a flight tutorial of any kind, unfortunately I'm unable to find anything that resembles one, unless I'm missing something.

 

http://library.avsim.net/esearch.php?CatID=fsxmisc&DLID=188358

[untoweechja 35]

There's also an abbreviated engine start video.