I picked up the V2 CRJ tonight (for free I might add - even though v1 was a rough product it was pretty generous of them to give V2 away for free).  I flew this in 2024 SU2 beta.

I wrote briefly in the main MSFS forum but I did two flights:

KMSP WLSTN7 GRB YZEMN NUBER6 CYYZ (ILS 06R hand flown)

KMSP NESIC KDLH (ILS 09 Autopilot flown - it did well!)

We've all known of the sub par product that was the Aerosoft CRJ v1 (whether it was in FSX, P3D or the recent MSFS 2020 version).  I must say, V2 is a HUGE upgrade.  There are a few issues I ran into but nothing show stopper - and certainly no airliner addon I've seen released for MSFS is bug free!  The graphics updates alone are awesome, the sounds are better, the inclusion of the EFB with Navigraph support is excellent (I assume the native 2024 version will support the default LIDO charts).  The flight model is still a bit twitchy but the autopilot is navigating much more precisely and it just works a lot better than V1.  The aircraft throttles do have detents for TOGA, CLB, CRZ etc but there is no auto throttle and there is no VNAV.  So it's quite the pilot's plane.  My good friend flew the CRJ2 and 9 for many years and he said the visuals and instruments of the first version reminded him of when he used to fly it irl.  (That reminds me I need to have him over to fly this new version!)

So yeah, a big upgrade, and if you're looking for a Regional Jet, I'd say it's pretty solid.  There's no hard core failures or state saving but you essentially get the entire CRJ lineup for 45 USD.  

Anyway the pics... I started with default weather and switched to live just after leaving MSP 

I had a few problems getting SPD mode to work well - any "serj" drivers here who can help me understand the SPD mode?  I first had to use VS and then trim everything nicely before engaging SPD hold (which I assume functions like FLC but not as elegant hehe)

Up to cruise at FL350 with a lovely 100 knot tailwind... nearly hit 600 knots over the ground!

Passing over Lake Michigan 

The ground attitude indicator seems to work hehe

The cabin itself isn't terrible but these seat textures are... 

Interesting exposure with the sun behind passing Lake Huron

HGS seems to work fine

 

 

You can really tell I have no clue about airliners lol... don't think I'd park here irl

 

Bonus on the ILS 09 at KDLH - it worked well!

 

Edited April 2, 20251 yr by ryanbatc

Very informative review, Ryan. Now I really can't wait until it drops in Marketplace. Thanks!

I flew the 2,7 and 9 at skywest for little over 6.5 years. I was an LCA on the thing as well. I haven’t flown the things since 2021 and I have had two type ratings since then. I also have an uncanny ability to dump almost everything about a plane the second I start learning a new one. Anyways, but from what I remember, SPD mode behaves like LVL CHG in the 737. You would select a speed you want to fly at and depending on whether or not you were descending or climbing, you would descend or climb at whatever vertical speed your current thrust setting would result in while the airplane pitches for your selected speed. In short, set speed, set thrust and out comes a resultant climb or descent. 
 

From what I remember, SPD mode does give you certain protections. For example, if you are in a climb and you can’t maintain your selected speed, it will, at a minimum, climb at 50fpm. In other words, it won’t descend just to maintain your selected airspeed. I can’t remember the descent protections. Maybe it’s the same. The usual practice was to hand fly or V/S the airplane to a trimmed out condition at the selected speed and then engage SPD mode. I remember being lazy and not doing that and the airplane would “hunt” to the selected speed and eventually stabilize itself. 
 

I do know that IAS (another pitch mode which is different from SPD mode) mode acts like SPD mode but without the protections. So if you are trying to climb and you can’t maintain your selected airspeed, the airplane will descend to maintain selected speed. 
 

Both are considered pitch modes of the AFCS. 
 

As I said before, I am not current on these planes. I haven’t flown it since 2021 and I have had two type ratings since then. So someone who is current, please correct any wrong information for @ryanbatc

Edited April 2, 20251 yr by ahsmatt7

Your mini-Review sold me on this one, Ryan...🙂...Used to fly the old SIM (FSX) version Aerosoft -700/-900 so much...

Glad you tried this with both hand-flown and automated methods for ILS 06R into your home base airport...🙂...

Hope it shows up in the MSFS2024 Marketplace soon...at least happy to now see a trickling of a/c there after the doors were opened recently ...but no big-ticket 3rd-party jets and airliners yet...let's see...

Thanks for this nice, brief, and competent recap...!

 

REALLY appreciate you jumping in and giving it an objective whirl!

On 4/1/2025 at 9:24 PM, ryanbatc said:

I had a few problems getting SPD mode to work well - any "serj" drivers here who can help me understand the SPD mode?  I first had to use VS and then trim everything nicely before engaging SPD hold (which I assume functions like FLC but not as elegant hehe)

Here is how I do it in the sim. It is first of all important to have a button assigned to the TOGA command. On some aircraft (with autothrotles) this will advance the power levers to takeoff power. In the real (and simulated) CRJ this will set the flight director command bars to the pitch required to hold V2 + 10 after takeoff. It will also set TO TO in the PFD FMA window. During preflight on the EFB Performance page, you should have selected your takeoff flap setting (8 or 20 degrees) and used the “SET ALL” button to set your V speeds on the PFD. This will also set the speed bug to the calculated V2 + 10 speed.

I normally takeoff with flaps 8.

I do not use vertical speed for climbs, but SPD mode only.

It is also important to insure your heading bug is set to runway heading before takeoff.

On takeoff, I advance the power levers to the TOGA detent and release brakes. As the aircraft accelerates through VR, I rotate, and pitch up to hold the flight director pitch command bar. Retract gear with positive VS. At 400 feet AGL, I select SPD and HDG on the autopilot control panel and engage the AP. If your runway heading takes you close to a direct path to your first waypoint you can select NAV before engaging the AP instead of HDG.

The aircraft in the current version does a nice job of holding pitch to maintain the V2 + 10 speed bug when using SPD mode. I then start increasing the speed bug setting. Initially to 200 knots. As you do this the aircraft will start pitching down to accelerate but it will still maintain a positive climb rate. Passing 1000 feet AGL, I pull the power levers back to the CLB detent. Once above about 180 knots, I retract the flaps but leave the slats deployed. I then wind the speed bug up to 230 knots. Passing 210 knots IAS, I retract the slats and set the speed bug to 250 knots. 

The aircraft does a very good job of tracking the speed bug with pitch, and vertical speed will be typically between 2000 and 4000 FPM. At 10,000 feet I set the speed bug to 290 knots for the rest of the climb up to cruise. 

nice shots, Ryan!

On 4/2/2025 at 5:56 AM, tamsini said:

Very informative review, Ryan. Now I really can't wait until it drops in Marketplace. Thanks!

Thanks!

On 4/2/2025 at 7:41 AM, ahsmatt7 said:

I flew the 2,7 and 9 at skywest for little over 6.5 years. I was an LCA on the thing as well. I haven’t flown the things since 2021 and I have had two type ratings since then. I also have an uncanny ability to dump almost everything about a plane the second I start learning a new one. Anyways, but from what I remember, SPD mode behaves like LVL CHG in the 737. You would select a speed you want to fly at and depending on whether or not you were descending or climbing, you would descend or climb at whatever vertical speed your current thrust setting would result in while the airplane pitches for your selected speed. In short, set speed, set thrust and out comes a resultant climb or descent. 

Ok great, thanks for the info!

On 4/2/2025 at 10:04 AM, P_7878 said:

Your mini-Review sold me on this one, Ryan...🙂...Used to fly the old SIM (FSX) version Aerosoft -700/-900 so much...

 

 

Excellent, yeah it's a solid upgrade

22 hours ago, JRBarrett said:

Here is how I do it in the sim

I appreciate you sharing your technique Jim!

On 4/2/2025 at 5:38 PM, UrgentSiesta said:

REALLY appreciate you jumping in and giving it an objective whirl!

Yep no problemo!

13 hours ago, jankees said:

nice shots, Ryan!

Thank you kindly sir!

1 hour ago, ryanbatc said:

appreciate you sharing your technique Jim!

Another thing to do during preflight: On the pilot’s FMS keypad push the “MFD MENU” key. This allows you to select the overlay of advisory VNAV data at the top of the MFD display. For the pilot’s (L) display select “VNAV” and for the copilot’s (R) display select “ON”. This is the standard setup that r/w crews use. It will display the distance to TOD, and the time to go, as well as the predicted vertical speed at the beginning of your descent. The right display will show the time to the next three waypoints and the estimated fuel remaining at each.

I’ve seen a few review YT videos and the reviewers often overlook enabling these displays.

For climbs, I always use SPD mode, and for descents I always use vertical speed. You CAN use speed mode for descent, (if maintaining a particular speed is of paramount importance), but V/S works much better in most cases if following a STAR with altitude constraints, in which case you would control speed with engine thrust. I normally aim to descend at 280 knots IAS, as that is what many US STARS expect. In this case, you will find yourself slowly reducing power more and more as you descend. 

Hi guys,

Ex SkyWest pilot here also, this is the technique used a few years ago, might not be up to date but I think it's enough to understand how to operate the CRJ during takeoff. Not sure what issue Ryan was having with SPD mode, but it is pretty solid (from what I remember flying the CRJ).

Hope this helps, any question dont hesitate to reach out.

 

	NORMAL TAKEOFF CALLOUTS
RLNG T/O Parameters	PF	PM
PF: TLs ≈70% N1, stabilize, set w/in 5% below Target N1	“SET THRUST”
PM: set N1 Thrust Limit		“THRUST SET”
STATIC: Release brakes after stable at ≈ 70% N1	MAX PERF T/O: Release brakes after target N1 set and PM states “THRUST SET”
Through 80 knots		“80 knots”
	“CHECK”
Passing V1, VR, and V2	Pitch up 3° per second to V2+20	“V1”,    “ROTATE”,     “V2”
PM Verify Positive Rate of Climb		“POSITIVE RATE”
PF Verify Positive Rate of Climb	“GEAR UP”	“GEAR UP”
After gear retraction (about time aircraft reaches FD bar)   or	“SPEED MODE, HDG MODE”	“SPEED MODE, HDG MODE”
	“SPEED MODE, NAV MODE”	“SPEED MODE, NAV MODE”
	Maintain V2+20 until MFRA	Confirm modes on FMA
≥ 600’ AGL and <FL200	“AUTOPILOT ON”	“AUTOPILOT ON”
1,000’ AGL or MFRA	“CLIMB SEQUENCE” Accelerate to 200 kts	Retract flaps on schedule, when flaps at zero “FLAPS UP”
Leaving 1,500’ AFE	“AFTER TAKEOFF CHECK”	Set CLM thrust, After T/O flow, “AFTER T/O CHECK COMPLETE”
Above 2,500’ AFE (Rad Alt reference begins at 2,500 AGL)	Accelerate to 250 kts

23 hours ago, RJ_FO said:

Hi guys,

Ex SkyWest pilot here also, this is the technique used a few years ago, might not be up to date but I think it's enough to understand how to operate the CRJ during takeoff. Not sure what issue Ryan was having with SPD mode, but it is pretty solid (from what I remember flying the CRJ).

Hope this helps, any question dont hesitate to reach out.

 

 

Thanks for that!  Love the generic username hehe!  I work ATC and I'm often talking to SKW pilots!