"The wingview is great (6 months for that?), but it's just a slap in the face to their customers not to include the panel, after stating otherwise."Understood. It's risky buying any product based on what a vendor promises in the future vs. what they actually deliver in the present. There are "cautionary tales" all over the sim realm where this has happened usually with negative consequences. Most times that's a flag - some vendors often subsidize development with sales of a lesser product based on promising something greater in the future.I'm not really torn up over the failure of 50N to deliver on the panel side--I bought the product on the assumption that it's 50-50 at best. For $15, I figure it acceptable risk given Ariane charged more than that for a 733 without a panel and for one livery at a time.I think there's a handful of 733/4/5 2-d panels to choose from in the freeware community. Honestly, for the price they are selling the package at, I didn't think it plausible they'd deliver on a VC or even a home-grown 2-d panel (the one they are providing in the box set is from a third party). In a year, possibly, they will. By that time, we'll have FS-X.-John

One curious item--the pylon landing lights extend only when the gear is lowered and seem oblivious to the position of the landing light switch. I've flown in many a 733, and I've seen the landing lights deployed--or could swear I've seen it--well before the gear are extended. Anyone know if 50 North has it right, or wrong?-John

I am 100% happy with the FT 733/4/5 and IMO is the only way to go if you want a payware 737 old generation. Oh, yes the external model is not the very best, but it has a great 2d panel, a good Virtual cockpit and a very very nice Virtual cabin. In other words, the FT is exactly what I expect when I use my CC. Otherwise, Eric Cantu's 737 models are great and free. Why would I spend any money in a product that if better than Eric's is only because they were developed over 2 years after.I just don't have a good feeling with these people that sell things that should be free, 50 North are not the only ones, but well, this topic is about them.Leo

"I just don't have a good feeling with these people that sell things that should be free, 50 North are not the only ones, but well, this topic is about them."Whoa--wait a minute. Who are you to decide that something "should be free". 50 North didn't throw the visual models together for these aircraft in five minutes. Some authors decide to donate their time, others don't. 50 North's visual models are good and if they can earn money based on those alone, I'm alright with that. So they don't give their talent away, but it's still talent. People paid a heck of a lot more for Ariane's 733 and 734 in its heydey. I don't recall people suggesting they give it away for free, even though more sophisticated aircraft packages (like Flight1's 421) did exist.-John

I don't really care for their panel. There are similar freeware offerings that are available.We're only paying $15. What do you expect? $5 a model isn't expensive. As John said, people paid the total of the three models from 50N that others have paid for ONE Ariane model with a single repaint.50N doesn't prohibit you from making your own liveries to upload either. They provided a paint kit and a number of liveries on their site, what more could you ask for?

Agreed John, I am quite happy to pay for a model as good as 50North's but not happy to pay for one as bad as Feelthere's :-hah

regardsEd

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v640/edetroit100/holy.gifAMD Athlon 64 3500+, 1024Mb PC3200 DDR, 300Gb HD 128Mb DDR Nvidia 6600GT PCI Express, Audigy 2 ZSCH Products Yoke, Pedals and Throttle Quadrant

Ive got a few of them assigned to my AI for MRAI flightplans, works pretty good too!Richard

You know, I think the nose is a little high. Compared to every other model, the nose is a little high. Hardly a demonisation of the B737, is it? ;-)If anyone from FeelThere is reading this, I'd far rather they spent development time on the FMC than worrying about the tip of the nose being a scale foot or whatever too high. The 50N model, where you are only paying for the external model, yes that's important. Personally, I find a good panel far more important than a slightly incorrect nose cone, though.I didn't buy the 50N model because there was no sign of a panel appearing. I did buy the FT model because it was a complete package that still has bugs, but works pretty well overall. In my opinion, I made the right choice.Cheers,Ian P.

If someone is going to develop a model that I have to PAY for, it better be at least as good as anything I can get for free. Otherwise I don't buy. 50North's 737 is probably visually one of the better ones out there. It's better than Eric Cantu's older model by a decent margin and the shapes are right on. It's also real easy to repaint and they have had a good policy about that. I think personally I would not buy FT's model because I think its innacurate externally, and If Im going to pay, its really important to me. To each his own. For the money, you can't go wrong. I think it's great that for 15$ we get three very well done models. I have my own sounds and panels assigned and I have been very happy with them. The only gripe I have is that the FDE is marginal(it's stock) but that is easily circumvented by adding whichever one you like by substituting files. Paying 15$ for a great model is a fair shake and while I'd be happy for a VC, I got what I paid for and they have not been deceitful about anything. You can never bank on "a bird in the bush". I wish more payware developers would do this type of thing as I like having good models, but Im not a cockpit junkie and I dont sweat 100% realistic cockpit procedure in my simming. I buy a lot less payware due to this. I get bored with the minutia involved in ultra realistic systems, #### I can get that at work!Hornit

Im my case I prefer a model that looks good overall, with its defects, or not. I can ignore those defects if the systems are good, if the panel makes me feel I am getting a bit closer to the real thing. If I can program a good looking FMC, and the AC will follow the route. It is still my opinion that these 50N should be freeware, although I can agree that the price is low (unlike other developers that charge a lot of money for something that is freeware quality, read some new airbuses ;)).If we continue with this trend and we buy whatever it comes out as payware, Avsim, flightsim and simviation, along with all freeware stuff distributors will just dissapear or will sell anything. Even Afcad filed will be payware!!!Don't get me wrong. I am a total payware addict. My list is pretty extensive, and I woud say that at least 80% of my FS files are payware. Having things like the PMDGs, LDSs, FTs, F1 stuff, even PSSs ;), I get mad when it comes a guy selling panels that look worse than the default (I guess you all know what I am talking about), and see people that buy that crap.The 50 N could look better than Eric's 737, but well, Eric made his over 2 years ago.Leo

Hi Leo, I think I dissagree with you on all counts but I cannot type fast enough to go into it.:-lol So suffice to say we are all entitled to our own opinion. :)

regardsEd

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v640/edetroit100/holy.gifAMD Athlon 64 3500+, 1024Mb PC3200 DDR, 300Gb HD 128Mb DDR Nvidia 6600GT PCI Express, Audigy 2 ZSCH Products Yoke, Pedals and Throttle Quadrant

Hey Leo, (unlike other developers that charge a lot of money for something that is freeware quality, read some new airbuses ).I am interested in which aircraft you mean here, there is one new Airbus I know of which is the CLS A340-600, but I cant think of you seeing that actually as freeware (freeware word here used as I think you mean it) I cant remember seeing any other new airbuses recently (or do I miss one now?) (-:

I would say that the CLS planes are nice. The A340 looks excellent, but I use FS2002 :(When it comes to the visual model of FS planes I am picky! I think that visual models are very important. A decent cockpit panel with a crappy exterior will disappoint me. "If the wings are traveling faster than the fuselage, it's probably a helicopter - and therefore, unsafe." http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v615/DarrenA300/unsure.gif

"....but I use FS2002"I should mention, using the tool MDLC found at simviation I've been able to make all three 50 North aircraft viewable for FS2002. Corey Ford's SWA repaints look fantastic in FS2002 along with 50 North's model.I will post some FS2002 pics at some point for members to enjoy...-John