Tim, they Capt Sim stuff is as realistic as you can get in the sim world. I think there is some mob called another company who take it a bit further but for different reasons. When I say realistic they generally and mostly respond and perform the same as the real world aeroplanes did but the corrections to the power settings for the 737 and 727 do give you a more realistic aeroplane. The systems are generally pretty darn good and about the same as the real aeroplanes, sure they are not 100% modelled but who cares after all in the 727 it was a 3 man crew operation and doing this with one person even on a PC is a real handful so compromise is ok as far as I am concerned, like GPS instead of a navigator.

I generally fly all aeroplanes simulated or real by the numbers that is the basic aerodynamic principle that underlys all pilot training and aeroplane performance:

ATTITUDE + POWER = PERFORMANCE

So what you need to get a handle on any aeroplane is what is the pitch angle on the AH you need for the flight regime your undertaking, for example takeoff, climb, cruise, descent and final to flare. There is generally a corresponding power setting that will then produce the performance your after. Basically I work out from my own flying experience what sort of pitch angles and power was used (some flight manuals actually provide that information) for various flight regimes and then write them down on a card and memorise them, after a while you get used to seeing the attitude, setting the power and watch the performance follow. It would take a book or two to go into more detail on all the ins and outs but generally you will find that they all have similar pitch settings and power is the variable but generally also pretty close. So for example most light aeroplanes climb out at about 6-8 degrees of nose up pitch and full power and a big aeroplane at about 12 degrees ptich and full power with pitch and power reductions with speed changes, generally pitch is reduced through the climb until cruise. The trick with the 727 and the 737 is that the approach pitch angle is fairly high not flat or negative and this catches a lot of folk out until they get used to it.

As far as I remember them the early 737s were pocket rockets.

Anyway I digress having been a professional pilot all my life I still get as much fun out of simming as I did in real life, but the bonus for me is that I get to play around with a whole lot of aeroplanes that no longer fly such as the Connie, the DC3 the 727 and 707. Now and then I take the spitfire for a spin and do some aerobatics but it is just fun and the realism adds to it.

As we say in Oz, thats my two bobs worth. Cheers.