rmeier

A great set of photos! 🙂

Thanks for the feedback! Back in the early 2000's, before the B727 was officially retired in 2003 by most airlines, I always tried to book my flights on that aircraft...whenever possible. My almost weekly flights out of Cincinnati were typically United for westbound and Delta for eastbound...Delta had numerous B727 flights out of KCVG...slowly, those flights were being substituted with the Comair CRJ200's. It wasn't just the air quality...back when United and Delta were introducing their A319/A320 fleets, United especially, was very quick to adopt "high density" seating...smaller seats that were as comfortable as a park bench...and my knees were always contacting the seat in front...I used to pay the upgrade for the overwing exit seats on the A320 series. 🙂 That's not to say the B727's were always super comfortable...nearing their "end of service", aircraft upgrades were no longer happening...there were a few occasions when a seat would swallow you up like bean-bag furniture! 🙂 Overall, I always enjoyed the B727-200 as a passenger...still miss that aircraft...the noise and smell on the outside...the smooth and quiet ride on the inside. (...and the spectacular view of those wings unfolding on approach!). 🙂 But it is true...I never felt congestion after flying on the B727...the glory days of commercial aviation...or how I like to remember those flights back in the day! 🙂

Thanks for the feedback on the Alitalia livery...with each repaint, I'm getting into more and more details...last night I had to go back and update my Air Canada livery! 🙂 Thanks for the link...I had read that article in the past...and was aware that the rear door was modified after the infamous DB Cooper incident. I'm still really enjoying the FSS B727-200...it's a fun aircraft to (hand) fly!

I'm really enjoying the FSS B727-200...I've only had it a couple of months...I usually wait for the majority of bugs to get worked out on new releases. Excited for this update as well...although, the current set-up is all I really need...well, maybe the TCAS... 🙂 Highly recommend this product!

Thank you! 🙂

Nice set of photos...you did a fantastic job catching the light in the first several...well done! 🙂

...and a few more photos to complete today's flight into Vancouver... ...I guess the ICAO code is kind of dated now for Royal Airlines (ROY)...FSHud directed me to an international arrivals gate... 🙂 ...thoroughly enjoying this aircraft...just a joy to hand fly!

Thanks John...appreciate the comment!

Royal Airlines, part of the Montreal based Royal Aviation Group, was a scheduled passenger (and Cargo) service operating flights between half a dozen Canadian cities, as well as international service to a handful of US destinations, and limited destinations in the UK and Germany. The bulk of service during the airline's history between 1991 and 2001, was flown with the B737-200 and the B727-200 (a combined fleet of 18 aircraft between the two types). International/overseas flights were accommodated with the A310. I flew with Royal exactly 4 times in the late 90's...yeah, to say my paltry contribution helped their bottom-line would be grossly overstated! I still recall my first impression of Royal Airlines...I had booked a flight from Toronto-Pearson back home to Vancouver. The flight was booked with a B727-200. My first "check-in experience" with Royal was memorable...it was the old Terminal 2 at Pearson (named the Aeroquay 1 building)...apparently, the automatic baggage handling system was not in service at the time of my check-in....suitcases were stacked all around the check-in reception hall waiting to be picked up manually with a cart. As I was walking through the terminal before my flight...seeing the "deserted" luggage in disarray while admiring the old architecture of this very out-dated terminal...I recall at the time thinking "this isn't air travel...this is time travel...in reverse!". It was definitely one of those flight experiences where you can't help but wonder if you'll be reconnected with your luggage at your destination. Once onboard, all concerns were alleviated. The customer service of Royal was outstanding...the flight was smooth and the departure and arrival were flawlessly executed...and yes, my bag did arrive with the flight! One of my greatest memories of B727 air travel overall, unlike flying modern airliners, I never had that sinus congestion feeling for the two days following a flight...bring back the "old school" cabin ventilation! Based on the positive experience of my first flight with Royal, I did book subsequent flights with them...all with similar customer service experiences (albeit minus the baggage snafus!)...two following flights were on the B727 and one with the B737-200. In early 2001, Royal Airlines (passenger capacity) was sold/acquired in an all stock purchase by another Canadian carrier...Canada 3000. That would be a very short term arrangement, as Canada 3000 would not be able to survive the unforeseen travel slump following 9/11, and subsequently folded before the end of 2001. On my return trips to Vancouver in the following years, it was common to see an old B737-200 freighter still wearing the Royal livery colours parked at the south-east cargo ramp of YVR. Lo and behold, the Royal Cargo fleet (and operations under the Canada 3000 Cargo banner) would be purchased by Ajay Virmani...and would later become re-branded as Cargojet...who soon after assumed the Canada Post business contract long held by Purolator, with a rapid expansion for the Cargojet brand. As my tribute to Royal Airlines/Royal Aviation, I've re-created one of their B727-200 liveries, C-GRYQ. A 1981 model that was originally delivered to Sterling Airways (OY-SBG), she was acquired by Royal in 1994 following the bankruptcy of Sterling Airways. C/N 22574 later went on to fly with Champion Air...with a somewhat similar tail design, less the dark painted elevators, and remained in active service up until 2009. Hope you enjoy the photos of this Royal Airlines tribute B727-200...a flight in progress...from CYYZ to CYVR.

Thanks for the comment, pmplayer! Much appreciated! 🙂

Another one published...

Not trying to be difficult... 🙂 I just googled changing the dynamic registration in the ATC option (both PC and Xbox)...that search indicates that some aircraft will allow a dynamic registration change on Xbox...of course, I can't be certain. Didn't mean to sound condescending...just one of those little details a repainter notices... 🙂

The "rise of the machines" is an interesting topic... Nice set of photos...the Asobo ATR is a fun little aircraft...it has its quirks...but, also has several features which I wouldn't have expected at the price point. (I've done a few unpublished liveries for this one...unfortunately, it has some mirrored texture mapping that prevents creating realistic replicas of some actual airlines...not complaining though...it's still a fun aircraft to fly!) 🙂 You've included some great "low and slow" photos in your set! 🙂 Just curious...what's up with the registration number...(not a Canadian reg number...I had to look it up...a Shorts SC-7 with an unfortunate landing!). 🙂

I probably sound like a broken record...your atmosphere (cloud cover) shots are always the best. Love that livery too! 🙂

The "Sustainably Sourced" comment was a new one on me...alcohol has been documented all the way back to 6000 BC... 🙂 Thanks for the comment!

Thanks for the feedback, P7878! TBH, I wasn't aware of this livery until I started searching airliners.net...I thought this one looked really good...and I need to challenge myself to not always paint Canadian liveries! 🙂 I, too, liked the Globe logo on the tail...unfortunately, couldn't find one online...created this one from scratch based on tail photos. In full disclosure...the clincher for me to paint this one came when I saw the name of the aircraft...I've always enjoyed a fine Spanish Red! 🙂 Thanks again for the comment!

Really enjoying the FSS B727...a few snaps on approach to Palma de Mallorca...

Great set of photos...and I'm always just a tad more interested in the "freight dogs". 🙂 I was reading an older article (2021) that EFW had orders for 100 A330 conversions...far fewer have been delivered up to 2025 than the 100 quoted. The A333F is still a somewhat "rare" sighting occurrence...I expect in the coming years, we'll be seeing many, many more as the airlines retire their original CEO's for replacement NEO's. (The original run of A330-300's is almost 800 airframes.) It is expected that the A333F will eventually surpass the B763F as the "aircraft of choice" for medium haul freight (increased payload/better economics). In the virtual world, I'm still maintaining hope that FSLabs will deliver a top tier A330 for MSFS...for your sake, a Marketplace version as well! 🙂 ps: The Islands/Approach photos you've posted look fantastic!!!

Sorry for the delayed reply...don't typically peruse this forum... Have you tried the NVidia Texture Tools Exporter? (It's supposed to work for both Windows 10/11.) I've only used it once to convert a livery (my own!) from 2020 to 2024 (on Win11).

Interesting topic...and responses. If you're flying for a Virtual Airline...they (that I'm aware of) do not allow time acceleration to file a PIREP for the flight. Twenty years ago...I did, make a few long haul, real time flights flying for a VA...all for some silly points applied to a virtual flight record. 🙂 No longer fly for any VA...just enjoying the sim. GA, Commercial, Small, Large, Prop, Turboprop, Jet...it's just for fun now...and on the rare occasion I do make a long haul...it's definitely with time acceleration...a 3 hour trans-Atlantic (or trans-Pacific) is equivalent to the same time to make a "short", real time, domestic flight.

Thank you!

Great set of photos! The weather shots look amazing! I don't suspect your photos are reverse image...just curious...do you fly from the right seat? (Your controllers seem to indicate that you do.)

Thank you for the comment John! Cool that you actually flew an Iberia B727 back in the day... ...here's a real photo of EC-CFB from July 1999...about a year from retirement...

This was an appealing (ie, challenging!) livery to repaint for the FSS B727-200 PAX...a classic style with a partial metal fuselage. Iberia was the largest operator of B727-200 aircraft in Europe, with a total of 48 in their fleet. The aircraft depicted here, EC-CFB, was delivered on January 22, 1974 and served the airline (single operator) for 26 years before finally being retired in June 2000. Hope you enjoy the photos!

Very impressive photos! I had to smile thinking back to my first flight simulator...pixelated images on a small screen...thinking at the time it was the greatest! Amazing how far the technology has come in 35 years...