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CRJ Series PackPublisher: VirtualcolReview Author: Michael HaywardSuggested Price: $24.90/images/fsc/wbicons/store-buy-now-button.pngThe Canadair Regional Jet or CRJfamily is a series of aircraft developed and built by Bombardier since1991. Starting out life as a Challenger 600, it was lengthened andconverted into a commercial aircraft for shorter, regional routes.1,825 have been built as of March 2017. /images/reviews/crjpack/t/20170717171928_1.jpgVirtualcol,who are known for their low-budget and easy to use packages aimed atnewer simmers, released their CRJ Series pack in June 2017, whichincluded every variation of CRJ (albeit the 100, which was the exactsame as a 200 with modified engines) and over 100 liveriesincluded. In this review, I will be taking a closer look at this aircraft andgiving my overall verdict on what this package has to offer theuser. /images/reviews/crjpack/t/20170717173957_1.jpg /images/reviews/crjpack/t/20170717174241_1.jpgAircraft Specification CRJ-200CRJ-700CRJ-900CRJ-1000Crew2 (Captain, Co-Pilot)Length87ft 10in (26.77m)106ft 1in (32.3m)118ft 11in (36.2m)128ft 5in (39.1m)Wingspan69ft 7in (21.21m)76ft 3in (23.2m)81ft 7in (24.9m)85ft 11in (26.2m)Height20ft 5in (6.22m)24ft 10in (7.6m)24ft 7in (7.5m)Empty Weight30,500lbs (13,835kg)44,245lbs (20,069kg)48,160lbs (21,845kg)51,120lbs (23,188kg)Maximum Takeoff Weight51,000lbs (23,133kg)75,000 lbs (34,019kg)84,500lbs (38,330kg)91,800lbs (41,640kg)PowerplantGE CF34-3B1GE CF34-8C5B1GE CF34-8C5GE CF34-8C5A1 /images/reviews/crjpack/t/20170717171709_1.jpg /images/reviews/crjpack/t/20170717171728_1.jpgAircraft Performance CRJ-200CRJ-700CRJ-900CRJ-1000Range1,345nm (2,491km)1,378nm (2,553km)1,553nm (2,876km)1,622nm (3,004km)Service Ceiling41,000ft (12,497m)Top SpeedMach 0.81 (460kt, 534mph, 860km/h)Mach 0.825 (473kt, 544mph, 876km/h)Mach 0.82 (470kt, 515mph, 829km/h)Takeoff Run (MTOW)5,800ft (1,770m)5,265ft (1,605m)6,360ft (1,939m)6,955ft (2,120m) Download And InstallWhen installing from the FSPilotShop, you are given a ZIP file.Unzip the pack and you will find two installers, one for FSX/P3D, theother specifically for P3D v4. There are also two user manuals, againFSX/P3D and P3D v4, and a readme file which explains the contents ofthe package. No key is required for installation, just follow the installer andthe package will be ready to enjoy. /images/reviews/crjpack/t/20170717172108_1.jpg /images/reviews/crjpack/t/20170717172959_1.jpgExterior ModelThe models are made to represent the NG version of the CRJ serieswhich includes a modified nose cone, aerials on the roof and belly ofthe plane, more efficient engines, lowered landing gear and more. Theexterior also includes clear windows with a passenger cabin modelleddirectly into the aircraft. Textures are done in 2K resolution and include specular mappingwhich defines finer markings and detail across the body of theaircraft. This package also comes with 101 different liveries. You read thatright, one-hundred-and-one. This represents all of the airlines thatat one point owned a Canadair Regional Jet in their fleet, modern andhistoric. Lighting is also generally quite good across the board. Thedifferent lights situated around the aircraft are all in their correctlocations and work effectively. There used to be an issue with thestrobes which blinked too fast, but this was recently patched to theircorrect speed. /images/reviews/crjpack/t/20170717172311_1.jpg /images/reviews/crjpack/t/20170717172534_1.jpgNight lighting however, is disappointing to say the least. On theaircraft body, they are not dynamic or volumetric and are dealt withby night textures, activated by pressing [L] on the keyboard or viathe dome light switch in the cockpit. The textures themselves borderon the unrealistic side, which distracts from the overall realism ofthe package. One thing Virtualcol do deserve praise for, is how light thisaircraft is on the processor, and therefore you can expect it toperform the same way as the default aircraft found within thesimulator. FSX can be a pig to run sometimes, especially in heavilypopulated areas, as the simulator tries to run off a single core,meaning an aircraft that doesn't kill your frame rates, helps you outin more ways than you can think! Cockpit And InteriorVirtualcol have modelled their own cockpit for this aircraft, andall I can say is that it looks really good! The 2K resolutiontextures make for a realistic looking cockpit, with high detailing inthe model, including specular mapping and larger details made directlyinto the model. There are some light animations throughout the cockpit too,including switches and buttons. The yoke features realistic movementsincluding modelling to match that of the real aircraft - CRJ aircraftyokes feature a clipboard and reading light for pilots in low lightconditions. /images/reviews/crjpack/t/20170717171903_1.jpg /images/reviews/crjpack/t/20170717171916_1.jpgNight lighting within the cockpit is also fantastic! Virtualcolattempted a more dynamic style of lighting within the cockpit of theCRJ Series aircraft, and it actually looks realistic! The texturesthat surround each panel attempt to make the cockpit look like theyemit light, which is effective in making the aircraft look realistic.The only thing it doesn't do however, is allow the user to change thedisplay brightness. If this could be added, then I will have nocomplaints about the night lighting within the cockpit of thisaircraft! However, it's not perfect. In some cases Virtualcol have put textdirectly onto the button texture, before proceeding to overlap thiswith more text which looks out of place. This doesn't look great byany stretch of the imagination and in my opinion, should be removedfor the textured text. Buttons, Gauges And FunctionalityIn terms of functionality, it's what you'd expect from anon-high-fidelity aircraft. The basic functions work as they should,but not all of them are accessible from the virtual cockpit, meaningthe 2D panels are useful. The end result leaves us with an acceptablecockpit which can be used by any average simmer with no major learningcurve. The majority of the clickable switches are functional and work asthey should. This includes the overhead panel where 90% of theswitches are clickable and will work with the EICAS display wherewarning messages such as the P.A.C.K being switched off, DC ESS Tiebeing closed, fuel pumps inoperable and more. /images/reviews/crjpack/t/20170717174522_1.jpg /images/reviews/crjpack/t/20170717174400_1.jpgSome of the switches however, have no impact on the operation ofthe aircraft, an example being the hydraulics switches. When switchedoff, this doesn't change the aircraft's functionality or control inany way, but a warning message will display on the PFD. Anotherexample of a dummy switch, is the autopilot turbulence mode. To some,this might scream low fidelity, but in my opinion it makes theaircraft more accessible to a wider audience. A dummy FMC has also been included. This does not feature SIDS andSTARS, but will allow pilots to program their own routes and legswithin it. The FMC will also display basic aircraft information andthe ILS for departure and arrival airports. On the left and right side of the cockpit, there is also a panelwhich allows the pilot to adjust the flight displays and aircraftsettings. These include the EICAS mode (Map (NAV) or RMI (GPS)), anddisplay formats, including airport locations surrounding the aircraftand a terrain mode. In the original package there were certain issues with the EICASdisplay. These were: engine information in yellow (when in reality itshould be green) and the backup artificial horizon being broken.However, after contacting the Virtualcol support team, these werequickly updated and patched. This shows that progress is definitelybeing made with the add-on, complete with full developer support. SoundVirtualcol has used a modified version of the default CRJ soundswithin this package, replacing some of the default FSX samples with amixture of their own recordings. Modified sounds include engine startup and shut down, spool stages and interior sounds. From the virtualcockpit, the new sounds (compared to the default FSX samples) are of ahigh quality, and suit the overall feeling you get from thisaircraft. /images/reviews/crjpack/t/20170717171810_1.jpg /images/reviews/crjpack/t/20170717171848_1.jpgMany of the samples do however come from an Embraer 170, whichshares the General Electric CF34 engine, meaning these sounds will notvary too much; the main difference is that the E170 has wing-mountedengines, while the CRJ aircraft are all rear-mounted, meaning soundsources could potentially be different. Extra sounds such as a co-pilot callout during takeoff have alsobeen included which tops off what already is a fairly high-qualitymodel from Virtualcol. Flight DynamicsThe flight dynamics of this aircraft I would say are 50/50, to saythe least. All of the aircraft in this package feel similar and insome aspects don't match the aircraft's real capabilities. The CRJ200especially is known to sometimes struggle in a climb. Whilst the real aircraft's performance is acceptable below 10,000feet (2000 fpm), it struggles once past that, with 20,000 feet beingachieved sometimes as low as 500 fpm. The aircraft in this packagedon't seem to follow this same stance, with the engines (in somecases) feeling overpowered. All models of the aircraft in this package have a takeoff speed of124 knots at 20° flaps, although the built-in virtual co-pilot willalways call rotate at 150 no matter the weight or variation of theaircraft. The service ceiling of these aircraft is 41,000 feet, whichdoes affect how it flies and will slow down at higher altitudes,meaning Virtualcol have defined certain limitations within its.air flight model. /images/reviews/crjpack/t/20170717172741_1.jpg /images/reviews/crjpack/t/20170717174445_1.jpgVirtualcol have also been able to sort the ground friction bug thatFSX is known to have, and I have a feeling that this is linked to theoverpowered engines where the power curve has a really powerful basesetting, but one which relaxes at higher throttle settings. Overall, this aircraft is definitely not going to win any awards inhow realistic it flies, but as what's become a common theme with thispackage, it will suit not only the beginner that is learning to flywithin FSX/P3D, but also someone who just wants to load up an aircraftand fly without having to go through in-depth checklists. Opinion And Closing RemarksI definitely have enjoyed my time with the Virtualcol CRJ seriespackage! While it is far from high fidelity, Virtualcol does provideplenty of variation (need I remind you of 100+ liveries across fourmodels?) on an aircraft that meets the expectations of a large groupof flight simmers. As mentioned earlier, the developers provide a lotof support for this package, meaning any issues that are found andreported, will be patched ready for future updates! Being very light on FPS also makes this package attractive. Manysimmers have issues with frame rates (especially on lower endsystems), yet want to experience higher quality aircraft than thedefault models included in the simulator, and this model provides justthat. At only $24.90, this is a good price for the CRJ Series Pack. Forthat you get a good looking aircraft with a degree of lightfunctionality across the board. /images/reviews/crjpack/t/20170717173322_1.jpg /images/reviews/crjpack/t/20170717173415_1.jpgThey say you get what you pay for, and in this case, it's $6.25 peraircraft model, or 24¢ per texture included! The Technical BitMinimum RequirementsMicrosoft Flight Simulator XDVD Version - with Service Pack 1 & 2 or AccelerationSteam EditionLockheed Martin Prepar3DP3D v1P3D v2P3D v3P3D v4 /images/reviews/crjpack/t/20170717171621_1.jpg /images/reviews/crjpack/t/20170717171640_1.jpgReview PC SpecMicrosoft Flight Simulator X: Steam EditionWindows 10 Professional6th Generation Intel® Core™ i7 6700K Processor16 GB RAMNVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 745Video Review /images/notams/notams17/virt0620.jpgMichael Hayward Purchase Virtualcol - CRJ Series Pack