Flyjsim 737-200
Carmen Kalua
Yeah I would also really enjoy an avionics upgrade for this classic bird. Especially a configuration like depicted above, keeping the base spirit and layout of the cockpit but adding a more modern autopilot and an FMC for LNAV/VNAV capabilities.
Such an update would be great, maintaining the charm of analog. The FlyJSim 737-200 could do as Flightfactor did, you pay separately for a more modern update as in the image above I am in full agreement with friend @ebsoc.
I would love this option too! There are a handful of these birds still flying and all need some modern avionics equipment to remain compliant (ie: ADS-B). The default X-Plane FMC is okay, but it's still very limited in functionality.
I would love to have an option to change the avionics like in the flightfactor 767/757. not like to an glass cockpit but to an different kind of more ore less old school cockpit, some different autopilot and steam gauges and an older kinda fmc. This would be an huge appreciation.
I personally see no need for the full glass cockpit setup, but the vast majority of 732s were fitted with FMSes and autopilots similar to what you would find in a 733/734. Would love to see a 90s/00s 732 upgrade with VNAV -- don't much care for the default XP FMS.
To @sargo I strongly disagree. A 'realistic' retrofit does not have to be at the level of the NG. Take a look at Ryanairs modified 737s that were in use in the early 2000s. Still retained character, but less primitive than the one modelled by flyjsim. I like these frankenstein-tier aircraft. Really shows airlines' desperate attempts to bring an aged aircraft into the modern era.
I completely agree with you @antb1! I too would love a slightly upgraded cockpit setup for the 737-200 but not to the point where it becomes a 737 NG. The picture you've added shows exactly what I am hoping for the V4 732 by FJS to look like:
However, one thing we need to bear in mind is that the 737-200 comes from a time where Boeing had many avionics options depending on what the airlines wanted. Hence, in theory, there are virtually no 2 737-200's which are the same as far as avionic packages are concerned.
I have had a strange relationship with FlyJSim's Boeing 737 TwinJet. In reality I shouldn't have because it does everything so well. If you want the most outstanding 60's/70's clockwork dial aircraft in X-Plane you can't go past this Boeing 732 and as an recommendation I gave and further more still do give the aircraft high marks, but somehow I personally just couldn't warm to the aircraft? This is very odd because I totally adore FJS's Boeing 727 package and the FJS Dash Q400 is my absolute favorite prop liner, so why not the B732?
So what was missing for me? I totally understand the focus on the pilot and the way the aircraft flies is totally paramount for a simulator and in that area the FJS B732 certainly delivered... but, and this was a big but. Before leaving the gate you couldn't do anything with the aircraft, you set it up for the flight, but that was it. It was the same scenario when you landed in the fact that after you berthed the aircraft and then shut it down and.... well not much else. At night it flew like a big black hole in the sky, lovely cockpit, but really nothing else. So my overall feeling is that it felt sort of incomplete with nothing but empty space behind the cockpit door, half an aircraft so to speak. A few years ago in X-Plane that was the normal, but is it now after the FlightFactor B757/767 and Rotate's MD-88 when you have absolutely everything and both sides of the cockpit door.
So here is version three (v3) of the Boeing 737-200 TwinJet from FlyJSim. It has actually been a long time coming (the last update was 15th Aug 2015), but the wait for the changes have been well worth the wait. To note this is not an update, but a completely redesigned aircraft with the only best elements of the original transferred over, it is a completely different aircraft to the original.
First impressions of the v3 are overwhelming, the original was good, but the detail here is staggering. The older B732 liveries in your collection do still work with this v3 aircraft, but they are 2K and not the Hi-Res 4K as seen here, so there is a significant difference close-up and with the totally overwhelming feel of the aircraft.
These Hi-Res liveries and all aspects of the higher detail of this v3 aircraft does also significantly impact on your graphic card. Before even keying in to authorise the aircraft (or load it), it is wise to reduce your "texture quality setting" to "High", or you are faced with a 6045mb loading crash, set in "High" that is reduced to 3230mb which is still quite high but now workable with a 4gb graphic card. As you can see in the above images, the lower texture quality setting still allows for the very high detail and quality aircraft to be used, as so you are losing almost nothing in the lower setting.
Now the door will open and majestically the built in stairs will unfurl and then allow you to board the aircraft... There are rear stairs as well which are highly animated for their height above the ground. In fact all the doors for passenger and cargo open...
Most of the detailing is from the original B732 version which was beyond great in the first place, but something more has been translated in the process to the v3 and it is in the sheer quality of those 4K textures in bringing out the intricate design and detail. Note the excellent JT8D's which were in their time the trendsetters of jet engine design, now recreated here and not sitting somewhere in a museum.
There was something bland and flat with the original FJS B732 Southwest livery (top) which contributed to my feelings towards the aircraft, compared to the current v3 Southwest colours (bottom) that now brings the aircraft alive. The reality was that although the aircraft was sensational in the flying aspect, it was dreary in the visual aspect. So the 2K liveries were to the disadvantage of that feel more than anything else.
... the cockpit was fine, but the rest of the aircraft was dead, because it was as there was really nothing behind the windows. But get up close now as you enter the the aircraft and it all looks that so much more real.... there is now something behind the glass.
It is so extraordinary good, and so you say "it is cabin, so what!" but it is the space filled out and the aircraft now feels whole, complete. All the textures are astounding with great fabric and seat styling, as with the cabin section separator panels and there is full detail of air-vents and switches above your head, it is as real a cabin as your going to get.
And you have total control over the cabin as well with switches that work to turn on signs and adjust the cabin lighting (more in lighting below)... and open and close the airstairs by the above door panel (airstair lighting as well!). Rear stairs can also be extended and retracted via the switchboard (arrowed) and the workspace galley lighting can be switched on or off. (note the AC power or APU has to be running to use any opening or closing of the stairs)
All window blinds are individual in that you can manually open and close them (to open (or close) all the shades does take a little time?), and is this a first in X-Plane... opening overhead luggage bins, yes you can also open and close the bins yourself, totally brilliant.
It is all sensational detailing, but there is only one thought (not a criticism). The cabin colour scheme is a little USA all the way around the Mid-70's, in other words it is very bright and comes with a lot of colour and make no doubt it is a very excellent layout... but with European liveries like the KLM or Aer Lingus it looks well... a little too bright and mid-western USA, and it doesn't quite match the more dour European corporate outside to the brighter USofA inside... It would be nice to have the choice of a more subdue cabin layout for these liveries.
FlyJSim pioneered some of the best menu ideas in X-Plane like with their Vcard, Weights & Balance menu. The menu system overall is mostly the same as before but upgraded with extra panels and features and to match the newer X-Plane11 menu style. This layout will also be the new standard throughout all of FJS aircraft.
The Vcard is your Vspeeds for takeoff and landing. These selections are reflected in the way you load the aircraft via the Weights & Balance panel. The Weights & Balance is powerful but an easy way to set up the aircraft with fuel, passengers and cargo and it notes the aircraft CoG (centre of Gravity). Most functions given are to load the aircraft in three options with F - Full. E - Empty and R - Random, of course you can add or subtract passengers and cargo via the blue containers or set the exact fuel required. To note that the door(s) and cargo doors have to be open to load on passengers or cargo.
.... and the native X-Plane FMC. The X-FMC option has been dropped, which I think is disappointing as the X-FMC is far more powerful than the native basic version as in the Boeing 727 which I find a little bland.
Third option is the for the Delco Carousel IV-A Inertial Navigation System. Nicknamed "CIVA", CIVA Navigation System which is purchased as an add-on for $US10.00 and it is a basic navigation system that can give automatic navigation of up to 9 waypoints. (you can load X-Plane .fms plans) and it can be used in the FlyJSim B727 as well as other aircraft of that 60's/70's era. Well worth the additional cost. (note the CIVA plugin is loaded into the "Aircraft's" Plugin folder and not the X-Plane/Resources/Plugin folder).
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