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The McDonnell Douglas MD-80 series are twin engine, medium range, and single aisle commercial jet airliners. The MD-80 aircraft were lengthened and updated from the DC-9. The MD-80 series was introduced into service on October 10, 1980 by Swissair. The MD-80 series was followed into service in modified form by the MD-90 in 1995 and the MD-95/Boeing 717 in 1995.
Flight1 is the publisher of this MD-80 package developed by Coolsky. The package is available for FSX only. It only includes the latest (and the last) model of the MD-80 series, the MD-88. The model has a detailed 2D panel and virtual cockpit. It has a very detailed exterior model with several high quality liveries. It also has nearly every possible system simulated along with an Interactive Cockpit Training System (ICTS). The aircraft has its own JT8D-209 engine sounds with a user manual and an aircraft operations manual.
I got the product as an 80 MB executable file from the Flight1 web site. Flight1 is the publisher of this product developed by Coolsky. The file includes service pack 1 for this product. Installation and activation is quite simple and uses the 'E-Commerce' validation system using the Flight1 wrapper system. In the newer system, the software can be purchased from the installation system itself and it generates a key file allowing you to install/reinstall the program at any time. A Flight1 account is not required for the installation but if this information is available and entered, the user may reinstall any time using user ID and password without the need of the key file (the order is credited to your account). Once validated, the installer automatically runs and all you have to do is to follow the instructions on screen. System requirements as stated by Flight1 are a 2.6 GHz processor with a minimum of 1 GB RAM (2 GB recommended), a 256 MB video card and a Windows XP or Vista OS. I did the review on a 2.66 GHz Core 2 Quad with 3 GB of RAM and a 512 MB nVidia GeForce 8400GS on a 32 bit Windows 7 Home Premium OS.
Flight1 recently released a second service pack for the product which I downloaded and installed also. Two extremely Ultra High Definition Textures (UHDT) liveries are available free of charge for this package. Coolsky also have additional documentation and tools available free of charge to make the user's experience with the MD-80 a pleasant once. These, along with the above two mentioned liveries can be found here. McPhat Studios also have two UHDT livery packs (payware) for the MD-88 here and here. A repaint manager, a configuration file for that and a paint kit can be found here. Some essential things I feel new buyers must download are the flight tutorial, FMS tutorial, the information package, fuel calculator, fuel planning chart, flight forms (a very nice touch) and the Project Smokey Joe Professional all found here. Some things that are simply a nice touch are the 100 Busiest World Airports flight plans, the extra panel repaint and the UHDT liveries (all optional).
Upon installation, I found a single folder with a single subfolder in the start menu. It contains a user manual, an aircraft operations manual, the ICTS editor and the uninstall file. The user manual simply introduces the user to all aspects of the software and it is essential that you read it. It's in PDF format and 38 pages long. The aircraft operations manual gives a detailed overview of all the aircraft systems with some normal and abnormal procedures/checklists. It is 331 pages long but, in my opinion, very well done. Note: installing SP2 creates another subfolder containing an updated aircraft operations and user manual. In FSX, the aircraft can be found under the 'Flight1/Coolsky' publisher label or under the 'McDonnell Douglas' aircraft manufacturer label. I had to approve only one gauge upon selection of aircraft. When loading the aircraft for the first time, you are displayed a 'Start Flying Now' window that gives you a quick introduction to the panel select window and the Super 80 Center. The center can be accessed any time by clicking on the small arrow at the bottom left hand corner of the screen.
The manuals that come with this aircraft are very well done. As already stated above, the user manual introduces the user to every aspect of the Super 80 Center. It also advises the user on how to use the training system. Various levels and aspects are there to this sequence. They are well structured and organized. It starts with what a newbie would expect and ends with the newbie transformed into an MD-80 professional. It also has some information pertaining to the FSX SDK and the ICTS editor. The aircraft operations manual contains some limitations figures, normal, emergency and operation procedures and information on nearly every single system and button/switch/lever/knob/gauge/display that has been simulated. It is 331 pages long. A must read after the flight tutorial. For those who are wondering, the ICTS editor can be used to devise your own or make changes to the ICTS training system. It's pretty self explanatory at a glance and isn't that difficult to use.
I'm partially disappointed as well as impressed with this airplane's interior. The 3D virtual cockpit has been nicely done but it just isn't too crisp. Some of the parts have some low resolution blurry textures and few of the gauges/panels are flat and look as though they're just 'painted' on. The overhead panel, radio stack, engine gauges and FMC are the flat parts. The portion below the captain's eye locator, the lining below the windshields and the area around the rudder pedals are the low resolution areas. Looking on the bright side, every switch is functional in the VC. The PFD and ND have clickable pop up views. A 'hotspot' somewhere on the needle of the airspeed indicator brings up the speed reference card. The VC has many views within itself too. These are there for various positions throughout the cockpit and are very handy for getting to places and taking screen shots. Oddly, the second knob for bringing up the readings on the FGCP (flight guidance control panel) is missing from the VC. Most of the time, it feels as though the PFD is too bright. This can be rectified by adjusting its brightness. Interestingly, the heading knob cannot be used to control the reading on the heading select window. Instead, you have to place the mouse over the numbers to move them. Same applies to the airspeed indicator too. When the user clicks the knob, it may get pulled or pushed in.
The 2D panel of this aircraft is designed very well. All gauges and instruments are clear and easy to read. Unlike the VC, it's not too contrasting. The way the 2D panel has been fitted onto the screen is also well done. However by default, the eye point is set too high and you will not be able to see much over the windshield. Press Shift + Q to lower the eye point. The clickable hotspots from the VC are available here too. To access the various panels of this airplane, all you have to do is simply place your mouse pointer over the small red arrow at the bottom left corner of the screen. It brings up several large clickable thumbnails for the Super 80 Center, pushback and startup options, speed reference card, checklists and various panels. The concept is creative but it can be irritating sometimes for the bottom rows of instruments are blocked too. Personally, I would've just preferred an icon based panel selector. Clicking on the small rod (barely visible) below the captain's eye locator brings up the landing view. A VFR view can be accessed from the little red arrow. The other 2D panels are fine.
This airplane has an excellent exterior model and the liveries included in the package are great. It includes a collection of classic and well as modern liveries for the MD-80. Textures are crisp and accurate with fuselage riveting done very well too. The actual detail of the exterior model is best seen through a magnified view. Some very screen shot friendly aircraft close up views are also available. They are adjusted such that the expanse of the airliner contrasts the detail of it. The animations of the moving parts work very well. One glitch I found with the exterior model is that the engine fans alternatively flash white and grey. This isn't the case when the fans aren't rotating but when they are, they show these alternating colors. It's pretty annoying to look at. The airplane has some functioning doors with air stairs too.
The airplane has some appreciable interior lighting. There's no silly red glow but rather an expected pale shade of saturated green and brownish yellow. Interestingly, moving only one of the flood light switches on any of the three lighting panels automatically turns on the flood lights for the whole cockpit. The others function normally.
The exterior lights of this aircraft function fine and look good too.
Nearly every possible system is simulated including a full Electronic Flight Instrumentation System (EFIS), Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), Flight Management System (FMS) and even a working WX (weather) radar. Getting along with these systems is possible only if you read the operations manual. I found these systems to be working perfectly but there were some strange incidents. Although it happened only once, the autopilot suddenly disconnected and the aircraft pitched up rapidly on approach. I had to force it down and re-engage the autopilot. The autopilot also responds to command demands by the F/D too slowly on takeoff. Upon takeoff you'd normally expect, upon immediate engagement of the autopilot, that the aircraft will remain stable but in this case, it slowly creeps around to work with the F/D leading to a overshoot of the V2+10 speed until flap retraction speed nearly. Thereafter, however, the autopilot behaved fine and responded well to F/D commands. There are F/O callouts for V speeds, flap detents, landing gear and altitude. A few more are there to assist engine starts without panel shifting. Pressing the spacebar key cycles a pointer through the checklists which are accompanied by callouts from the F/O. These callouts aren't there for the Origination Pre-Flight Inspection checklist and cockpit cleanup inspection checklist. The aircraft is also capable of a full auto land. Interestingly, the hydraulics seem to work even when their systems are depressurized. One thing I noted with the FMC is that if you have selected a runway without an SID, you must click on 'RWY UPDATE' on the takeoff V speeds page of the FMC otherwise the route doesn't get activated. It's possible to load MSFS flight plans into the FMC also. The normal procedures checklist in the AOM is also available in the kneeboard.
The interactive cockpit training system has three main sections: 'Training', 'Dispatch', and 'Options'. The 'Training' section offers just what it seems like. It contains checklist guides, procedure guides, EFIS/FMS guides and automatic aircraft configuration settings. The way the checklist and procedure guide are presented quite appealed to me. A small box with some information on what and how to do is shown. Every operation is pinpointed automatically by opening the associated window and showing a small yellow and red pointer on the area. The box has some buttons to assist the user also. Although overall the procedures/checklists are fine, they can be misleading and confusing at times. Sometimes, you find repetitions of the same instructions in consecutive/subsequent guides (some are even mentioned in the flight tutorial). The order in which they are displayed (in the list) could have been more organized. The EFIS/FMS guides are good enough to get an 'FMC-phobic' off to a start combined with the flight tutorial. 'Automatic Aircraft Configuration' lets the user put the aircraft into a panel state for a particular mode of flight instantly. Very useful although navigational and weight operations will have to be done. A few tips and tricks are included to help correct common errors/problems.
The 'Dispatch' section allows the user to adjust the fuel and payload of the airplane. It's quite simple to use. A summary of all weights, balances, and fuel information is provided as a summary which can be printed, configure the aircraft accordingly and import the data into the FMS.
The 'Options' menu contains several options of personal taste and to increase ease of operation.
This airplane has awesome flight dynamics. It has the real feel of a medium sized airliner, not too heavy or too light. The airplane handled well in all phases of flight. A realistic aspect to note is the way this airplane handles on the ground. It represents the inertia and sort of 'dragging along' very well. Using the rudder function actually sets the steering tiller into motion which turns the nose wheel also. The braking systems are very well done also. Even at slow speeds, it takes a few seconds to come to a complete stop. Overall, the flight dynamics are well balanced and designed realistically.
On the whole, this aircraft has some pretty great sounds. Inside and outside, the sounds are realistic. It seems the quality of the sound of this aircraft is affected by a bug within FSX. Sometimes, due to several factors, one or other forms of background noise can't be heard unless you disable and enable simulation sounds using the 'Q' key. I noticed the absence of the sudden quietness during engine start and the rumble in flight. Although the engine start issue can be solved by the method stated above, the in flight effect goes off after a short time. One more fact I noted is that some of the controls in the cockpit do produce sound on movement but some don't. Other than that, I didn't notice any issues.
Surprisingly, this airplane has a very minute impact on frame rates. It's almost similar to that of the default jets. But still, don't expect to be flying to complex airports with the autogen and AI traffic cranked up. It does show lag then. Remember, this is what I experienced. What you experience may be different but to keep it short if you get good FPS with the default jets, you'll be pretty satisfied with the frame rates this airplane renders.
This product is not excellent but is good enough. The VC lacks quality but on the whole, the product goes easy on the frame rates. The exterior model is very detailed and well done. There are a few bugs but the level of systems programming is quite good. The learning curve is less steepened by the ICTS. This product has the potential to improve. Hopefully, all the bugs with this aircraft will be subsequently addressed through service packs. A serious flight simulation enthusiast looking for total realism and quality won't be impressed but this may be the way to go for starters.
Rohan Nair
rohannair10@yahoo.co.in
Learn More Here
Other Rohan Nair Reviews:
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Overland Japan Airbus Edition
Carenado Cessna 172N Skyhawk II
LiVEinFSX BA270 Adventure
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