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5 July 2011

CLS 747-100/200 For FSX

I am going to start this review off by saying another big thank you to the CLS team for allowing me to use this software for the review.

So... The 747 the most iconic wide bodied aircraft in the world and the 100/200 variants where the ones that started off the trend. With the first flight in 1969 and the first delivery to Pan- Am in 1970 there has been a total of 1,418 aircraft built to date.

Background Information

The series 100 powered by Pratt & Whitney JT9D-3A engines offered enough payload and range for US domestic operations, but it was marginal for long international route sectors. This demand for longer range aircraft with increased payload quickly led to improved series 200. The 747-200 has more powerful engines, increased MTOW, and greater range than the −100. In its first three years of production, the series 200 featured Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7 engines (initially the only engine available). A few early −200s retained the three-window configuration of the −100 on the upper deck, but most were built with a 10-window configuration on each side.
Several variants of the −200 were produced. The 747-200B was the basic passenger version, with increased fuel capacity and more powerful engines; it entered service in February 1971. Range with a full passenger load started at 5000+ nmi (9000+ km) and increased to 6000 nmi with later engines. The 747-200F is the freighter version of the −200 model. It could be fitted with or without a side cargo door. It has a capacity of 105 tons (95.3 tonnes) and an MTOW of up to 833,000 lb (378,000 kg). It entered service in 1972 with Lufthansa.The 747-200C Convertible is a version that can be converted between a passenger and a freighter or used in mixed configurations. The seats are removable, and the model has a nose cargo door. The −200C could be fitted with an optional side cargo door on the main deck.

What's in the package?

After installing this package from CLS, I had a brief look what they said they had to offer like any normal consumer would,

'General features
- For both FSX and FS2004!
- Highly detailed exterior models.
- High quality interactive 3D Virtual cockpit (VC)
- 2D panel with custom gauges.
- 65 highly detailed liveries!
- Detailed manual.
- Option for showing the wings from the interior view (wing view)
- Push back truck (can be switched on/off for FSX)
- Air stairs. For passenger models
- Dynamic wing-flex.
- Detailed flight deck when seen from the exterior.
- Animations abound; Passenger doors, cargo doors, flaps, rudder, elevators, undercarriage, engine fans, thrust reverser's and spoilers.
- High quality sound sets.
- Rolls Royce, Pratt and Whitney and General Electric engines modelled.'

It then goes on to say that you will receive both a passenger version of the aircraft and a cargo variant both weighing in a light 380MB each and it comes on the same download.

First Impressions

WOW! What else can I say really, after loading this aircraft up in the flight simulator mode you can first choose between and IRS system and a FMS system of navigation this just allows the pilot to further change the way that they fly this aircraft. And well loading up in the cockpit is very realistic you are seated in a very old looking cockpit with an all analogue gauges and nothing electrical at all.

Here are the external models that come with this aircraft ( please note that each aircraft comes with 3 different engine variants!):

747 - 200F



747-300 PAX


747-200 PAX Variant




As you can see each one is either in a blank white livery or that of the CLS house colours - but not to worry it does come with its own repaint manager that will search the internet for addon's and install them for you.

The first flight that I did in this was just a short general handling test. I found that the flight characteristics are life like and that the roll rate may be a little to quick but it is nothing that will affect your flight experience. As for the cockpit the VC was very well modeled and the 2D cockpit wasn't bad either. But more on those later.

Cockpit's

As you may know by now I like to fly from the Virtual cockpit just because it's more realistic but for those who cant or don't like to I am going to include some pictures of the 2D cockpit and a brief explanation too.

The 2D cockpit is very well designed in my opinion this is because CLS have really captured the way that this aircraft is old and has barely any modern day avionics on board! Everything is analogue inside the cockpit - as shown below

As you may find the forward visibility from the 2D cockpit is not great however very well done with no blurring or visibly polygons there.  The only thing that can get annoying with using any 2D cockpit is the pop up panels. These are also Incorporated into this model by using the Shift + 'Number' key, this causes even more visibility problems especially if you are coming into approach where you may have the radio panel and the IRS/FMS panel out causing little visibility but this is not a problem if you are confident flying on instruments.

Now for the real beauty of this aircraft - the 3D cockpit. In my personal opinion I believe that this has got to be one of the most well thought out 3D cockpits and I would even say I would compare it to that of the PMDG 747 cockpit!

Here are some photos below.


General MCP and Pedestal Panel

Woah all them buttons - Luckily the engineer's panel is not modelled.
So what do you think, after now over 30 flying hours this has become my favourite VC to be in - purely because not only is it FPS friendly meaning that mostly all systems can cope, you can also just simple jump in turn on the engines and fly it's so easy to use all from the same 'panel' as it where. Now to go into more depth about the systems on board this aircraft.
   The package comes with an IRS system and a FMS system it varies between the aircraft. The IRS system is what was first ever installed onto a Boeing aircraft it allows the user to enter various Lat/Long co ordinates into the system and will follow it for you basically like the basic GPS.

However although the principles are the same with the FMS, this allows  the user to not only enter Lat/Long way point but can also enter FIX's and VOR's by the name not there position. And to top this off it will give you accurate V Speeds for your landing and takeoff. This is personally why I enjoy flying the FMS variant alot more than the IRS just based on the fact that you can do so much more!


Flight Test

Today's concluding flight test will take us from Tenerife South to Amsterdam on a KLM 747-200 Variant like what they used to use on this route.

After loading up the flight and calculating the fuel and all that jazz, I was ready to go. Because this is an F-Lite product all you have to do prior to departure is file a flight plan with ATC and then just turn on the GPS mode and click NAV. Although not necessarily what the airline pilots do it is a nice way of getting in the air quick instead of entering a laborious flight plan into your FMS.

    Starting the engines is a doddle and all can be done via the Control + E button or via the overhead panel. Because I was going for realism on this flight I worked out how to start the engines via the overhead panel - If you are stuck at any time just consult the manual for more instructions.

Now for the briefing - we will be flying at a height of 32000ft today and out flight time is approximately 4 hours and 40 minutes. And that's it no complicated departure routes either. So taxing out at GCTS took some time because I was parked on the opposite side of the field which was kinda annoying but nothing to worry about just use SLEW if you get bored!
 The flap setting will be 10 for departure today and the FMS had worked out a V speed of 127 knots for me. Lining up on the runway the landing lights came on then the 4 RR RB2-11's kicked into life with full power on! Soon enough the 127 knots came and the beast entered the skies again. The climb out procedures are like any on all aircraft types ' positive rate' 'gear up' and then flaps retraction when necessary. That was it for the next 4 hours it really is that simple to fly this thing nothing to manage it is simply great for the new comer's to the flight simulation world.

' Descend and maintain 24000ft' said ATC so what you do is scroll down the ALT button until you get 24000ft on the indicator and simply control the descent with the V/S indicator. I was being vectored for an ILS approach for runway 18 which I was going to fly visual to get a feel for the aircraft and like the would in the real world any way.
    Now at 5000ft and well inside Schipol airspace I was cleared down to 2000ft and to turn left and cleared for the ILS approach. After seeing the runway's ( and there's lots of them at schipol) I disconnected the autopilot. Slowing her down to about 129 knots for the landing I put down full flap and lowered the gear for landing the aircraft responded life like - the increased drag allowed for me to lower the speed even more to about 119 knots for the final approach just above the stall speed!
   I like the fact that CLS haven't forgot about the nice details on the aircraft for example to GPWS telling me how high I am from the runway. This is something that you are looking for when you are buying a flight simulator add-on.
 Touchdown was smooth as ever thanks to the massive hydraulic suspension system on the 747 and the RB2 -11's in reverse thrust and brakes on allowed her to slow down pretty rapido!

Conclusion

I like that fact that it's FPS friendly lots of liveries and includes things such as the GPWS which is the kind of realism that you would expect from a payware ad don.

Something I think could be changed is maybe the sounds although the exterior models where different all the sounds seemed to be the same for all the models. Not unless it is just my ear. But however this is a great ad don for the beginners in the simulation world I think you could defiantly use it online on VATSIM etc. If you are used to things like PMDG then this may not be for you just because the aircraft systems are so different.
    

2 comments:

  1. The 20th anniversary edition of Microsoft Flight Simulator celebrates the first 100 years of powered flight while continuing the traditions of realism, technological innovation, and richness that have delighted aviation enthusiasts and pilots around the world and made Microsoft Flight Simulator one of the best-selling entertainment titles ever produced for the PC.

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  2. where can i find a download?

    ReplyDelete