Released: FS2004: 737-800 by Project Opensky

[chris]

http://www.projectopensky.com/

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Project Opensky has released Boeing 737-800. Downloading it now, looks superb! How it flies though is another proposition - with some debate over the also good looking 767 done recently by Posky.

[chris]

http://www.totalnfs.net/cpd/fs2004/b737-800_virgin-blue1.jpg
http://www.totalnfs.net/cpd/fs2004/b737-800_virgin-blue2.jpg
http://www.totalnfs.net/cpd/fs2004/b737-800_virgin-blue3.jpg
http://www.totalnfs.net/cpd/fs2004/b737-800_virgin-blue4.jpg

Well, that's the 737-800 by Project Opensky, in Virgin Blue colours. Being a 737, it's not going to win any beauty contests, but it isn't ugly either - and the winglets are as always an interesting detail, a study in some thoughtful aerodynamics to improve fuel economy slightly. I suppose the winglets are not normally seen in North America, but here in Australia nearly every Virgin or Qantas 737NG (New Generation) has these winglets to optimise fuel economy over the sometimes longer flights flown here.

Consider this more just kicking the tyres so to speak than a full review. On first flight with it where I did some circuits around Kai-tak in Hong-Kong, and then finally the new Hong-Kong airport - it seemed easy enough to fly, very stable and easy to control, and not overly and unrealistically slow to respond like the 767 from the same developers. I even did things with it that shouldn't really be done, like going below the reference speeds and flying with high angles of attack.

As you can see, they've spend some effort on the visuals which are in my opinion quite stunning. Even including a tractor to push back the aircraft activated by pressing SHIFT+P. Unfortunately, the tractor as you can see has magical properties allowing it to hover above the ground. ;)

All this attention to detail hasn't thus far extended to a proper 737 new-generation instrument panel, nor a 3d cockpit/interior. So it remains at the moment true to previous form from this developer.

It's a reasonable quality effort, but I'd imagine more serious users preferring a 3d cockpit and/or realistic systems might be waiting some time for their plane to arrive - or as the alternative purchase the 737 New Generation addons from Precision Manuals (aka PMDG).

The PMDG shows the difference of payware, where it is possible for the developers to access better data, and to spend more effort to simulate things properly. But for the average user who likes to fly, but doesn't like the burden of a fully simulated plane this 737-800 from Posky should be fine.

So it is recommended if that appeals to you. :)

[Frank N. O.]

Very nice, although didn't some say that the winglets just created drag, or was that for the 747 specifically?

Very nice model indeed, but I take it that it's just the plane model and no sound or any form of cockpit (VC or 2D) or such things, so one would have to assemble this themselves for a full package?

Btw was it POSKY that made a military transport-plane a few years ago too? Or was that another group that also makes airliners?

Frank

[chris]

Sounds are usually a matter of just looking on Avsim for anything by Devyn Silverstein (sp?), Emil Serafino Jr. or Mike Maarse that is appropriate for the type of plane, downloading it and extracting the sounds and the *.cfg to the sound folder for the aircraft.

That's what I normally do.

And yes, as I mentioned above, there isn't a panel, nor a 3d interior of any sort. It's possible they could do one, but don't hold your breath. :) Still, it's free so you can't really complain about it.

[Frank N. O.]

I remember one guy making a lot of good sounds for planes, especially piston-engined planes iirc, Aaron Swindle?

You are completely right about the plane being free so one can't (and shouldn't) complain and indeed neither am I, but I'm sure you know that by now. My main concern is just that things fit together, and the more complicated the subject for a simulation is, wether it flies, drives or not, the harder it is to get it working as it should and even a 737 is one complicated machine for someone who's just driven simple cars (myself) so where to begin to double-check that everything fits together and works like they should is a bit of an issue, so to train I've gotten the Real Air Simulations C172 files and will try to start at the base with printed charts, however I've found that my logitech joystick is so stiff that I'm having problem doing fine manouvres :( Even with the rudder set to the pedals of the DFP wheel so I don't have to worry about twisting the joystick.

I really wish I could build that design for a sim-yoke I constructed, it would make things so much easier, and just three simple sliding pots and I'd have throttle, prop-pictch and mixture like in a Cessna right on hand, oh well, too far off-topic.

For airliners I believe someone made a nice Dash 8-400 which is commonly used here by SAS Regional so maybe I should try looking at that, hopefully that's more stable.

Btw, any idea what effects/settings to use to make a normal pc headset recording sound like comming from a aircraft radio?

Frank