I do not own this plane.  But, I would like to understand how you can effectively fly this plane by hand from the VC with anything but a high end-high resolution PC.  I understand that many aircraft these days come with VC only for FSX - and that's fine if you've got big glass displays that can be popped up.  But this is a hand-flown aircraft with limited autopilot, and needs a lot of attention to engine EPR/N1 and button switching.  How can you possibly keep on zooming to the engine gauges to check takeoff power in a crosswind and not go into the grass?  There's no autothrottle on this one.

At least the old Legendary 727 had digital overlays so I could read the values.

To top it off, I hear this version does not come with manuals that provide performance data (funny Leg727 had them)?  So I guess the easy way is to firewall the throttles and be done with it.

You need a fast processor and a very good video card to get good FPS.

Buy a TrackIR head tracking device. You can look around the VC just by turning your head. It moves in any direction you move your head. Want to get a closer look at gauges? Just move your head closer to the screen and it will zoom in.

Here is a video of the CS 727 with the TrackIR 5 I made.

http://airlinersim.blogspot.com/2009/07/parkway-visual-approach-runway-13lr-jfk.html

tasev1 wrote on Aug 30^th, 2009 at 5:16am:

How can you possibly keep on zooming to the engine gauges

It doesn't model EPR particularly accurately anyway so I wouldn't worry too much about that!!

I've just got it, very nice plane to fly despite the couple of small inaccuracies. The VC is stunningly modelled, i've not seen one so detailed before.  There's something extremely beautiful about a traditional mechanical style cockpit - especially at dusk or at night!  It hand-flies very nicely as well.  If you press the 'A' key whilst in the VC the camera toggles to preset positions (Left seat, right seat, overhead, engineer etc), which help.

About performance, I don't have a particularly high spec machine and it performs well - better than aircraft with glass cockpits.

Yeah, I know of the TrackIR.  But there's more money spent on an already $80 airliner just to fly it.  Even with VC's where I CAN read everything, I don't always use them.

I'm afraid "beauty" just doesn't cut it for me.  I'll stick with the Legendary 727, but thus far no one has called me back to renew my registration for it.  It seems to have expired.

I respectfully disagree with you. TrackIR is the best investment you could make in my opinion. if I had a choice between buying the 272 or TrackIR the TrackIR would win every time. It works on the defualt planes as well. The level of realism it delivers is amazing.

If you want better planes than what Flight Sim has to offer then your going to have to pay for it. Generally you get what you pay for.

oh, I don't dispute the trackIR is awesome - but I think the 727 essentially depends on it to operate effectively.  Besides - real pilots don't have giraffe necks that poke all around the cockpit!

I am amazed you were always one step ahead of 727 and maintained on numbers at JFK approach. It must be long time flying experience with 727. I saw many cockpit landings,but you are top of the line Pilot.

1-I have CS727X . it is a wonderful plane. I also realized you mastered TrackIP in your approach. Unfortunately, I canot do it. I have a TrackIR more then a year. It is still in its box. Several time I tried to use, but at the end, I gave up. It is impossible to hold tTrcakIR steady. It moves so rapidly, no way I can focus any thing. After watch your video I decided to try again.What is your SECRET to  hold TRcakIR steady and move around like normal head turns. Don't say "EXPERIENCE". I don't have it. :-[ :-[

2-What was your landing speed you maintained until 20 Ft above runway and flap settings?

3-You must have a high-end PC. Your PC has very smooth flying, especially JFK airport area. I have Dell XPS 630i, Intel Dual Core Q9550@2.83 GHZ, 8GB RAM and Navdia GTX280 graphic card. Vista 64. I can only get 6-10 FPS around JFK Airport.

I hope one day you prepare a tutorial for 727X. We can lear much from your knowledge. :)
Thanks
Sanal

tasev1 wrote on Sep 2^nd, 2009 at 2:22am:

oh, I don't dispute the trackIR is awesome - but I think the 727 essentially depends on it to operate effectively.  Besides - real pilots don't have giraffe necks that poke all around the cockpit!

;D ;D

asanal wrote on Sep 3^rd, 2009 at 4:37am:

I am amazed you were always one step ahead of 727 and maintained on numbers at JFK approach. It must be long time flying experience with 727. I saw many cockpit landings,but you are top of the line Pilot. 1-I have CS727X . it is a wonderful plane. I also realized you mastered TrackIP in your approach. Unfortunately, I canot do it. I have a TrackIR more then a year. It is still in its box. Several time I tried to use, but at the end, I gave up. It is impossible to hold tTrcakIR steady. It moves so rapidly, no way I can focus any thing. After watch your video I decided to try again.What is your SECRET to  hold TRcakIR steady and move around like normal head turns. Don't say "EXPERIENCE". I don't have it. :-[ :-[ 2-What was your landing speed you maintained until 20 Ft above runway and flap settings? 3-You must have a high-end PC. Your PC has very smooth flying, especially JFK airport area. I have Dell XPS 630i, Intel Dual Core Q9550@2.83 GHZ, 8GB RAM and Navdia GTX280 graphic card. Vista 64. I can only get 6-10 FPS around JFK Airport. I hope one day you prepare a tutorial for 727X. We can lear much from your knowledge. :) Thanks Sanal

hey! Sanal,
in regards to the TrackIR moving too quickly, u can go the the tools and set the sensitivity to low and check for head movement and tweak it some more to u'r liking before taking it up for flight

I played around with the settings on the TrackIR software for a loooong time til I got it right. I have had it for about 4 mo now, and  istill tweak it now and then.

You can use the pause function and the precision mode as well although I don't use them. But you may find them helpful.

I have over 2500 hrs in the 727. The key to flying a stable aproach is to have a target power setting for the aircraft weight, configuration and rate of descent. Generally you want a 145-155 knot approch speed depending on weight with approx 750 FPM descent rate at flaps 30. You need to find the target power setting that gets you close to those numbers and make small adjustments from there. Only make small adjustmets. Big control inputs or large changes in power will destabilise you.

Years of training and experience get you there. I have been flying for 23 years. I started when I was 16.

I maintained VAPP 155 until I crossed the threshold, and then I reduced power and to reach VREF which was 148kts. landing flaps were set at 30. We don't land 727 at mroe than flaps 30 anymore for noise abatment reasons. Flaps 40 require alot more power which makes alot more noise.

My PC is an i7 920 over clocked to 3.0. my graphics card is a NVidia 9800 GX2. I have 12GB DDR3 1333 OCZ Platinum RAM. I get about 24FPS with REX/FSDT JFK/CS 727.

Unfortunately I am not really good at making tutorials. I have no skills editing footage adding a voice track etc. But I do work on it.

You can check out my blog here if you would like.....

http://airlinersim.blogspot.com/

Thanks for your reply and information regarding numbers/flap setting . I several times read your blog and   watched your videos.
It is very helpful to me.

Regards
Sanal

JetPilot and Rupesh,

Today I tried to installed my TrackIR . It didn't work. I realized my Trackir version is 4.1.028 Windows 2000/XP . My PC Vista 64.
It looks like I cannot use 4.1.028 for Vista 64.
I am thinking to buy Version 5. Is it difficult to tune  ? and Is it important part of SimFlight?. I am not PC expert.

Thanks
Sanal

If you go to the Naturalpoint website it says IR V4 works with Vista 64. Try downloading V5 on the download page.

Thank you. I dowloaded and TrackIR is working.
Regards
Sanal

Good. Play around with the settings til you get them where you like. If you need help let me know. DC8SUPER72@comcast.net

Sanal et al
Track IR takes getting used to, and a dark room helps, but when you get it tweaked where you want it, it is the greatest tool for FS flying. Prior to TIR I did not enjoy 3d panels, since using the hat to look around causes crashes. Since I got TIR, I really only fly 3d now.