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Reviews

Richie Barrett reviews Project Skyworks Boeing 717..

Aircraft: Boeing 717-200 for FS2002 & FS2004

File name: boeing_717_200.zip (8.5MB)

Author: Project SkyWorks Date Tested: September 21, 2003

Computer Specs Processor: AMD Athlon XP2500 (2.0GHz) Ram: 512MB PC2700 Graphics Card: 128MB ATI Radeon 9500 Pro

Test Pilot: Richie Barrett (RichieB31619@yahoo.com)

Do you fly for Real? No (well-not yet anyway)

Introduction: Well, I haven't done any reviews in quite some time because I have been rather busy. I have decided to try and standardize the way I do these aircraft reviews a little so I have come up with a point grading system (out of 100 points) which I'll use from now on. The review is divided up into five categories and the total amount of points available in each is in parenthesis next to the title.

External Model (30pts): The first thing that jumped out at me when I first flew this aircraft is the amazing external model. It is far superior to any other Boeing 717 made yet and is just beautiful in the sky. One of the nicest features of this model is the vast collection of animated parts. It not only has the typical features of a good model (rolling wheels, rotating engine fans, flaps, ect.), but it has several small moving pieces such as opening doors. Overall this model is very well done; it is an obvious combination of a very skilled designer and many hours of hard work. I rate the model a 29 out of 30!

Texturing (20pts): Along with the beautiful visual model comes a really nice texture featuring the older Delta Airlines paint scheme. Something that stuck out to me with this paint scheme is that nothing stuck out. Now, what does that mean? By that, I mean that there wasn't a particular feature that caught my eye because the texturing looked so balanced. The little bit of reflection underneath the plane is a very nice feature that completes a beautiful paint job. I feel the texturing is a 20 out of 20.

Panel (15pts): 2D Panel (10pts): The panel included with this aircraft is a rather nice one. It includes all the necessary gauges required to fly this aircraft and a few others that are very helpful. On the down side, there isn't a lot of room for the windows but that is a feature on a true Boeing 717 and is therefore authentic. Overall, this is a nice panel and I give it an 8 out of 10.

 
DVC (5pts): The other five points that I give for the panel is for the Dynamic Virtual Cockpit (DVC). Unfortunately, this plane does not come with a DVC and that is really the only drawback on this aircraft. So, I have to give it a 0 out of 5 for the DVC.
Sounds (5pts): One feature that many add-ons for the FS programs don't come with are a custom sound pack. Not only does this plane come with custom sounds, it has a very good sound pack. This makes flying this plane just that much more enjoyable. 5 out of 5 for the sounds. Flight Characteristics (30pts): Where Tested: Honolulu, Hawaii (FS2004). Takeoff Characteristics: I found that this plane was rather enjoyable to get off the ground. With the flaps extended at about 50%, a slight pull back on the joystick can get the nose to lift off at about 180 knots while the rest of the plane leaves the ground at approximately 190 knots. In-flight Handling: While in the air this planes handles like an airliner is expected too. It flies very smoothly is easy to control provided the pilot avoids trying to make extreme maneuvers. As is expected, it is a little sluggish in the air but that is simply due to the size of the plane and is normal among airliners. It's really a joy to handle in the sky because it turns very nicely and it has a nice feel to it. Landing Characteristics: As with any large aircraft, the best way to handle the landing is a long approach with a minimal course corrections and a slow downward angle. I found that this plane can be landed at about 160 knots or a little faster with the flaps fully extended. I found if I dropped much slower I would have a problem with stalling and making a harder landing than desired. So, I feel that anywhere from 160 knots and 170 knots is a good way to go, Overall: I feel that this planes handling is exactly what an airliner should handle like. So, I have decided to rate the flight characteristics a 30 out of 30!

Rating: 92% This is one of best airliners out there! I fully recommend this aircraft. Repainter's: For those of you out there who like to contribute to our hobby by making repaints of aircraft, PSW has just released a paint kit for their Boeing 717 that provides a perfect template to make new liveries for this plane. If you're interested, the paint kit can be found here: http://www.simviation.com/fs2004jets8.htm

From the Writer: Thanks for reading my review of the PSW Boeing 717-200. If you have any comments about what I have said about this plane please feel free to let me know your thoughts. Also, if you enjoy this plane as much as I did I recommend e-mailing the designers and letting them know. The kind words of those who love their designs can really help inspire the designers to make more aircraft of equal quality.

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