I have installed the unofficial fix package for the 727, so I don't know if that is implicated in any of these issues.

I could not maintain 35,000 feet.  Autopilot would not hold it, and I "ran out of" nose up trim when I tried to maintain it manually.  In fact, elevator control in general was weak, and I had problems during approach because I could not get any results from pulling back on the joystick.  I am wondering if the change from 1.0 elevator trim effectiveness to 0.3 has caused these problems.

Despite the problems, I am enjoying the 727.  There is a real feeling of accomplishment from radio navigation VOR to VOR.

Another question: is it possible to tune two different nav frequencies?  I haven't seem to have been able to do this.

Unfortunately, that locks up my nav radio knobs.

Agreed. SIDs are out of the question and for practical purposes you are limited to simple VOR to VOR.  A lot of the fun of older airplanes like this is the navigation.

Hi Tim.

Firstly. I'm not using the "unofficial fix package". Mine is "straight out of the box" (in this case "straight from the download") and works perfectly fine.

I rarely fly above FL320 unless my 727-100 is fairly light (about 1/2 - 1/3 fuel) because it struggles up high. The 727-200 is far worse though. I almost never fly above FL320 at all. It's just too hard on it.

Mark

dazz wrote on Jul 8^th, 2010 at 10:16pm:


http://forums1.avsim.net/index.php?showtopic=270045

I am still testing it, so don't take this as a recommendation.  It does make the EPR gauge better, and you can use real docs for your settings... but I am noticing some things that require further investigation.

I have decided on the basis of a couple of test flights that the mods are not for me.  I simply cannot get to 35,000 feet with them, where I can without them.  Furthermore, EPR settings did not seem to be giving me the desired cruise speed.  With all due respect to the people who put hard work into them, I'm not sure they result in a net improvement for me.  I'm going back to the by-guess-by-golly flying where I can at least hold altitude.

In a prior postings I talked about how we called the 727 "The Pig." The 727-100 was a bit better than the 727-200, but it depended on the type of engine your plane was equipped with. If you had a -7 P&W in the -100 plane, you were a pig. Some operators had higher output engines, but not many. I don't remember the charts, but if you keep the weight down to 135,000 or less the plane would fly just fine at 350 or even 370 depending on the OAT (outside air temp). Standard OAT or less should not be a problem for the -100. The -200 was a low altitude beast, unless you had bigger engines. When I taught Olympic Air,  their policy was never to go above FL350 in the -200. Remember what I said in a prior post... the 757 climbed better on one engine than the 727 with all 3 running!

As you climb, don't get slow. Climb at 280 to 300 KTS  then Mach .77 or better. The engines produce more power at higher speed.
Good cruise speed at altitude is Mach .78 to .84. As you go higher in the 727 the operating area gets smaller. This was called coffin corner. If you went too fast you were in Mach buffet, if you got slow you were in stall buffet.

I find the CS 727 to be a fun plane to fly. There are some bugs, but for the most part it does pretty well. I don't have the -200 version so I'm only able to talk about the -100. My 727 - 100 flies fine and all the instruments work. Only the trim is too fast using the trim buttons on my joy stick. The autopilot trim works fine.

I'm using the Logitech G940 HOTAS with rudder pedals. There seems to be no end to the button assignments in this system.

Have fun!