WestWind Airlines

Ok I have been flying the pants of the B727-200F Advanced and decided now is a good time to allow others to preview what I have been working on.

For maximum benefit you will want to download and install the CIVA INS located at http://www.simufly.com/ins/index.html

Yes the B727-200F Adv does come with the GNS500 active as I have been using it for testing (when you reload the aircraft file in flight the INS shuts down).

The airplane ships overweight so you will need to adjust your fuel or payload prior to take-off.

I have no clue if this airplane will work in FS9, the FDE has been tweaked for FSX so FS9 users can try at your own risk. Considering that this aircraft is already in the FS9 stable this was not a priority for release.

This airplane represents an airplane that has been around for some time being upgraded over the years to keep it in service. The panel is this a hodge-podge of old and new technology keeping the airplane just barely certified to fly in the modern RVSM airspace. (TCAS II is not simulated.) Does a 727-200Adv exist with this sort of setup? In fact yes the idea of combining a EADI with an older HSI came from a picture of a 727 cockpit on airliners.net.

The panel is designed to put information before the pilot that he needs to fly the airplane. I have not nor do I plan to replicate the Flight Engineer's panel. 1. 3 Engine gauges for the FE panel are in short supply and 2. it really does not add much to flying the airplane.

For thoes who want to know, there is no virtual cockpit in this airplane.

UPDATE version 1.0.3 So if you are still with me and willing to try out this aircraft you can download a copy here: http://cid-839fbc8d9e9023fb.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/Public/WWAB722FFSXBETA103.exe

The install file is 43MB in size and is in the easy to use 1 click setup routine. Please provide constructive comments only to this thread.

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-KenG

If you installed this aircraft prior to 0252Z 27 May 2008 please uninstall this aircraft and reinstall the new version 1.0.3.

The original version shipped with an incomplete panel, version 1.0.3 fixes this. There have also been a small number of updates to the aircraft.cfg that improves overall quality of this aircraft.

Starting the engines, I did not include the jet starters on the panel as I ran out of room to fit them in. Place the three fuel control switches in the off posistion and request the Flight Engineer to start that engines (CTRL+E).

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-KenG

Well for what it is worth the public beta is complete on this aircraft with our pilots showing zero interest in this project.

Despite the lack of interets I finished this aircraft anyway, however this will be the last project I do for a long time.

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-KenG

...well, Ken;

 

It's sad to see you get so discouraged less than a week after making this aircraft available for download....and was it even mentioned on our News page?

 

For what it's worth, I have tried unsuccessfully on three different occasions to download this file.

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Mark Chapel - WWA57
Hub Manager - Vancouver

Thanks Mark,

I don't have news publishing privileges so I would guess, no this Open Beta was not mentioned in the news. Since I published version 3.3 I put ~16 more hours of flying this bird plus additional development time. I have included support for shockwave lights (excellent night lighting I might add), built the reference and checklists, and tested the single CIVA INS installation, which may be downloaded here http://www.simufly.com/ins/index.html

If you tried downloading the beta after it was removed from open beta that might explain why you had problems. If you tried earlier then I have no idea why it would not download, I uploaded and tested the download and it worked just fine. As no one mentioned any difficulties in trying to download the file I was unaware that there was a problem.

I do not have a time line as when this aircraft will be officially published. Until that time, a preview is available here http://cid-839fbc8d9e9023fb.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/Public This is a temporary repository until the aircraft makes its way through the final approval processes. Aircraft has been published to the official server and removed from its temporary location. See reply above for aircraft. Now its back to Tahiti for some Mai Tais.

From the readme:

Vistaliner 727-200F Advanced WestWind Cargo

Model by Erick Cantu
Paint by Kim Stolt
Panel by Ken G
    Gauges - 707-LATE George Carty and the Historic Jetliner Group http://simviation.com/hjg/
         JH.cpt.toggles.black.labels Jorge Salas and John Hinson
         737_800, CONCORDE, Kingair Microsoft*
         Fab, n_number_plaque unknown
         
Sounds by Steven Persson

FDE by John Schumacher with additional input by Ken G

*This WestWind Airlines Aircraft was created under Microsoft’s “Game Content Usage Rules” using assets from Microsoft Flight Simulator, © Microsoft Corporation.

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-KenG

Ken, I will give this a try, although flying with a 2D panel will be a bit different for me as I'm used to the VCs pretty heavily by now.  I'll fly it back to back with the Captain Sim bird to compare the FDE..

Oh, follow-up to what we were discussing earlier about separate models for the VC/interior and exterior - it turns out that FSX does have this ability, FS9 does not.  However, the model must be specifically built for FSX and specifically built to support this.  Most models out there are compatible with both FS9 and FSX and are thus not built this way, but in the future (FS11) we will probably see this continue to be the case - aircraft modeled to the FSX+ specification can have separate .mdl files for the interior and exterior, which is kind of handy.  So the day will come when virtual cockpits will be separately develop-able for aircraft, which will be very nice.. SOMEONE will make VCs for all the nice exterior work done by posky and HJG et al.. let's just hope that FS11 is more widely adopted than FSX was/is.

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Scott M. Stone
WWA1712 - Cat-III - Director of Aircraft
VATSIM 1018857 - C1 Controller - KZSE
Private Pilot - ASEL + Complex + IFR (almost)

WWA1712:

Oh, follow-up to what we were discussing earlier about separate models for the VC/interior and exterior - it turns out that FSX does have this ability, FS9 does not.  However, the model must be specifically built for FSX and specifically built to support this.  Most models out there are compatible with both FS9 and FSX and are thus not built this way, but in the future (FS11) we will probably see this continue to be the case - aircraft modeled to the FSX+ specification can have separate .mdl files for the interior and exterior, which is kind of handy.  So the day will come when virtual cockpits will be separately develop-able for aircraft, which will be very nice.. SOMEONE will make VCs for all the nice exterior work done by posky and HJG et al.. let's just hope that FS11 is more widely adopted than FSX was/is.

  That must be something new with the compiler used with FSX as Gmax has not changed. I guess than an aircraft built with and Gmax and using the FSX compiler would in theory have the ability to have a VC added. 

  Thinking from a model perspective, it would be difficult to model the VC without having the original exterior to reference. You don't want to have parts of your interior sticking through our exterior model. It will be interesting to see what happens in the future with this.

 

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-KenG

Ken G:

I do not have a time line as when this aircraft will be officially published.

How about today, I just added her to the FSX Hangar:

Click Here

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EHAM-YSSY B772LR

VPCargo:

Ken G:

I do not have a time line as when this aircraft will be officially published.

How about today, I just added her to the FSX Hangar:

Click Here

That was quick!

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-KenG

I was supposed to go fly today, but someone else got the trip, so I got sent to the hotel early, nothing like some extra free time.......

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EHAM-YSSY B772LR

Ken G:

WWA1712:

Oh, follow-up to what we were discussing earlier about separate models for the VC/interior and exterior - it turns out that FSX does have this ability, FS9 does not.  However, the model must be specifically built for FSX and specifically built to support this.  Most models out there are compatible with both FS9 and FSX and are thus not built this way, but in the future (FS11) we will probably see this continue to be the case - aircraft modeled to the FSX+ specification can have separate .mdl files for the interior and exterior, which is kind of handy.  So the day will come when virtual cockpits will be separately develop-able for aircraft, which will be very nice.. SOMEONE will make VCs for all the nice exterior work done by posky and HJG et al.. let's just hope that FS11 is more widely adopted than FSX was/is.

  That must be something new with the compiler used with FSX as Gmax has not changed. I guess than an aircraft built with and Gmax and using the FSX compiler would in theory have the ability to have a VC added. 

  Thinking from a model perspective, it would be difficult to model the VC without having the original exterior to reference. You don't want to have parts of your interior sticking through our exterior model. It will be interesting to see what happens in the future with this.

 

some of the FSX default aircraft use it...

If you're curious, the place where I read this was on project opensky's Modeler's forum.

 

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Scott M. Stone
WWA1712 - Cat-III - Director of Aircraft
VATSIM 1018857 - C1 Controller - KZSE
Private Pilot - ASEL + Complex + IFR (almost)

Ken G:

Well for what it is worth the public beta is complete on this aircraft with our pilots showing zero interest in this project.

Despite the lack of interets I finished this aircraft anyway, however this will be the last project I do for a long time.

Ken,

It appears that we are well into a new generation of pilots; those who's only feedback is when there is a problem.  Based on the lack of feedback here on the forum, I would guess that very few have installed any of the scenery that Ed and I have provided. However, realizing that we will never know who is taking advantage of our work, we continue sacrificing our own personal flying time for the benefit of the VA as a whole, and hope that at least a few appreciate our efforts.

As for this latest aircraft, I thank you for your work. The 727 has been a favorite of mine in FS9, and now that I am getting what I consider decent frame rates for FSX (10 - 20 fps) I am starting to do some flying with it, and look forward to flying the 727. 

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Bob S.
Senior Command Captain
E.V.P. Scenery

Ken,

I am interested in the 727 at some point but it will be a while. I am burried right now with things unrelated to flying. FYI, I tried to download and install the Goose but could not get it installed. I ran into an error message which I can't remember. I am not sure why it didn't work but I ran out of time to mess with it so never said anything. When I have more time, I will try again and if I can't get it to work I will post a more specific message.

Thanks for all the work you do on the aircraft. I for one really appreciate it. I really enjoyed doing the G550 project with you.

Mike

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WWA1702 Senior Command Captain +3
RWP SEL Instrument Rating (almost)
WW Test Pilot
Monster Driver

I tried installing this bad boy and for some reason its no place to be found in my FSX.Dont see it in the folder or in the plane menu in game.After downloading and running the install it says its complete but o viual of it anyplace.Anyone got any ideas?  

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Scott Jones
WWA2062
Assistant Hub Manager KJFK
Sr.Capt
Monster Driver

Scott Jones:

I tried installing this bad boy and for some reason its no place to be found in my FSX.Dont see it in the folder or in the plane menu in game.After downloading and running the install it says its complete but o viual of it anyplace.Anyone got any ideas?  

I did the install this morning and discovered the problem.  In the installer, "SimObjects" is misspelled as "SimObjetcs". as a result a new folder by that name  was created. The installer package will need to be recompiled after the spelling is corrected. In the mean time, if you can manually locate that folder (located under ..\Microsoft Flight Simulator X) and copy the entire \Aircraft folder (and sub folders) to the \SimObjects folder; then delete the misspelled folder.  When you do select this aircraft for the first time, FSX is going to present a message saying, to the affect, that the publisher of three of the gauges is not recognized, do you want to run them. Answer yes to this and the message that follows.

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Bob S.
Senior Command Captain
E.V.P. Scenery