Customer Reviews

727 Captain

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Another outstanding product from Captain Sim. The most realistic visuals and flight model possible on a PC.

I own both the 727 and 707 Captain, and luckily I can say that the 727 Captain is a better product. Overall, the model, sounds, textures, and bells and whistles are beautiful. However, the lack of a 2d cockpit on all the new Captain line products is really crappy. In my opinion, this is a step back for the product line.

I bought the 727 Captain reluctantly. In fact, the only reason I bought it was because the price was too good to pass up on a sale. I was somewhat supprised when I got the sim installed. I had previously purchased the 707 Captain and hated it for the terrible frame rates and 3d panel that is very difficult to fly using. However, the 727 Captain was noticibly better in both of these categories. Frame rates were almost equal to a PMDG product, and while I don't have a fancy for the "all 3d" cockpit, somehow the arangement was more comfortable. I was so supprised, I even fired up the 707 Captain to see if I was just going nuts, and for sure I was confirmed; the 727 Captain is a better product.

I'm not sure why the 727 Captain performs better than its counter part, but at least the add on is good enough to earn my advisement to purchase. However, make sure you get it at a descent cost. That way if you don't like it, at least you can just let it sit on the ground and admire how nice Captain Sim's 727 looks!

This is a great model over all. They model the 727 systems very believable systems especially the electrical systems and APU.The aircraft has a few weird quirks such as the you have to load the aircraft and go into the menus again and re-select the aircraft to get sounds to work right. For whatever reason there is no thrust reverser animation and no engine cowling animation on the 1 and 3 engines. And on the flying side of things I found the trim to be completely over responsive. That aside the aircraft flew very believably. There are hundreds of other animations and the most important ones like opening and closing the doors, engine covers, pilot windows, airstairs etc. are managed from a intuitive panel. There is also a cabin announcement pannel where you push a button and a pre-recorded flight attnedent will say your standard announcements and they are saved to 7 buttons. The flight characteristics of the aircraft are great. The aircraft seems in my experiences to take off around 130-140 KIAS ride in ground effect 100 feet AGL or so until the aircraft reaches 150-160 KIAS and darts into the sky. The time to climb are great for such a big aircraft I usually takes me (depending on how heavy it is) 5-10min to reach 10,000 MSL from sea level. Also note that this dosent have the same amount of thrust as the default 737-800 in flight simulator and it feels that way in the sim too.I have a little difficultly in keeping it in strait and level flight she wants to climb or descend a little seldom stay put. On the way down I have trouble with the autopilot on the ILS the autopilot doesn't seem to want to hold the glideslope. I usually find myself just turning it off and using the flight director or land the plane visually. When I land at first I wanted to land at about 120 KIAS but then when I reduced power to flare the airplane dropped like a stone on the runway. I have much better landings at about 130 KIAS. When I land there is no autospoiler and no autobrake. I guess that is a luxury only new planes enjoy. When you land put on reverser and a little brake and the plane will stop in no time. Some other notes about flying is that like real jet engines, these engines do take time to spool up so when flying you may want to make throttle adjustments a few seconds before reaching the speed bug. (and for those who know little about aircraft a speed bug isn't a glitch in the software but instead its a little arrow you set to remind you of your desired speed)And one more thing...This is the Captain Sim 727 re-branded it even has a Captain Sim logo in the cockpit and at time of writing (18Dec2011) this is the best deal I can find on this package. (again at time of writing) it would cost 49.97 EU to get this package direct from Captain Sim's website.

I have several Just Flight titles and for the most part I am very satisfied with their products. However, 727 Captain for FSX is most disappointing when compared to the 727 Professional for FS9. The external modeling and animation for 727 Captain is very good, but my major disappointment, is the lack of a 2D cockpit which exists in the FS9 727. If you are a simmer like my self that relies on the 2D cockpit to fly the aircraft simulation you will not find the the 727 Captain experience much fun. Additionally, when trying to make the best of the 3D cockpit environment, I found many of the hot spots for switch inputs and instrument adjustments difficult or impossible to manipulate with mouse clicks. After installing the game and the realizing the 2D cockpit was absent I went to the Just Flight web site for help and was amazed to read the developers of 727 Captain thought their software was so functional as not to require a 2D cockpit. Most of the other Just Flight titles I have are superb games and fun to play but, 727 Captain is a disappointment if you are someone who relies on and enjoys simming in the 2D environment. I don't recommend purchasing this simulation. In the future when Just flight decides to rework an FS9 product into a simulation for FSX they should at least make it as good as the original.

I bought this for FSX but I wont use it because it is runs so slow!!! The grapics are good but it keeps freezing and I have a very fast computer. It was also really hard to install on.