737-400

[IslandBoy77]

Hi all

I've been hunting about the 'net for the last few hours trying to find either freeware or payware that will give me a good, or at least reasonable, 737-400 experience. My brother is FO on one for BA, and next time he visits he's going to "take me for a spin". I'd like to have something sorted before he arrives. I found a couple of freeware products:

b737-400pack (http://dfs2.flightsim.com/kdlr.php?fn=b737-400pack.zip)
fs2004_737NG_CFM56-7_Soundpack (http://www.flightsimulatornetwork.com/f ... soundpack/)

I've not been able to find a stand-alone repaint for BA, although supposedly one is included in the pack listed above.

The second one I'm concerned about as it is primarily for FS9 but supposedly tested for FSX - but it's not specifically for the -400 series. I don't know enough about the 737 variants to know what changes there were between them other than winglets, removal of "eyebrows" and upgraded avionics (presumably the physical length of the later types is longer).

So, what do you all reckon is the best bet to get an accurate 737-400, in BA livery, sorted for FSX? I did have a listen to the TFDI DESIGN - 737 ULTRA SOUND V2 - it's ok, I guess, but again, not sure from the description if it's accurate for the -400 variant or even if it will work with one.

I rarely tinker with aircraft, so I'm having to learn all this from scratch.

[Ian Warren]

Pete , jeepers a 'New Generation ' 737-400 type series ..

[deeknow]

Re the 734 Classic, yes Ian there really is only one option payware wise and thats the Wilco, love it or hate it its actually a pretty reasonable model.

Not sure what OS your running but you *could* try you luck with the V1 Wilco 733/4/5 which is a little cheaper these days, or splash out on the V2/Evo model from Wilco for the same machines. Sure it cops a lot of flack from the PMDG fan-boys but its really all there is at present.

see: http://www.wilcopub.com/simulator-add-on/7...lution-fsx.html

Freeware options probably wont impress your bro anywhere near as much.

ps - and yes there is a BA texture set for the 734 that ships with the base pack, just as a heads up the liveries are really pretty average. buyer beware I guess, read some forum posts at avsim etc

[IslandBoy77]

Thanks for your comments guys: I did find the Wilco one - its not overly expensive, but since this is going to be used rarely I was looking to see if there was a "fair" free one. I'll probably just "pay the man" and go with Dee Know's recommend of the Wilco.

So to fill in the hole in my knowledge, Ian, are you saying that the "NG" equals the 400 series, or does that cover all the 737's from the 400's onwards? I've not really followed commercial aircraft all the much over the years (at least their variants), having more had an eye for WWII piston classics (and some early jets), so have a fairly thin overall knowledge when it comes to the specifics e.g. the variations of the 737 family (or 747 for that matter).

Thanks again.

[deeknow]

QUOTE (IslandBoy77 @ Apr 13 2012,10:10 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So to fill in the hole in my knowledge, Ian, are you saying that the "NG" equals the 400 series, or does that cover all the 737's from the 400's onwards?

Oh dear Lord, please dont pay any attention to Ian's opinion on the naming convention of the 73x
The NG refers to the 600 and later series, the 300-500 series are commonly (as in, everyone other than Ian) referred to as the Classics
Does seem weird (as Ian will point out), as you'd think the 100-200 would be the Classics, but there you go

[Ian Warren]

The 'Original Classic' was the 100-200 series ... The 300-400-500 series were known as the NG 'New Generation' and the latest 600-700-800-900 known as NG's also but 'Next Generation' , a marketing muckup made them to move the classic on selling doc's as NG-Classic ? given the NG to the next along .. so to un-confuse the confused dumped the original as it did'nt happen and they kept plodding away .

[Naki]

The 737 range is as follows:

737-100/200 - Capt Sim have a nice model of this - Miviz are also making one one which also looks very good (not released yet). Justflight also have a sim model of this but wouldn't appear to be as good as the other two

737-300/400/500 - (The "Classic" 737 according to Boeing) - The 500 is the smallest model with the 400 been the biggest. As mentioned above Wilco have a model of these.

737- 600/700/800/900 - (the NG model) - 600 is the smallest and the 900 the biggest. Ifly, PMDG and Ariane make models of these with both the Ifly and PMDG models rated as very good. The PMDG model been arguably the best add on aircraft available. Ariane is expensive and has a bad past rep.

[IslandBoy77]

Thanks guys for the clarification and information - Wilco it is then. I've Copy & Pasted Naki's info so that I have it for future ref. Of course next year I'll have to bone-up on the 747's if my brother is successful in getting onto long-haul...

[Ian Warren]

QUOTE (Naki @ Apr 13 2012,11:43 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

737-300/400/500 - (The "Classic" 737 according to Boeing) -

That's how they fixed it .. changed the literature and publications of 1985 called the NG 737-300/400/500 as the New Generation , the 100/200 was place in as the Classic as marketing people release .

How easy it is to change type and books of thirty years ago due to computer encyclopedia's .... and it changes over time again ..

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia .... seldom do i look at a Wiki dicky .... What dicky setup ... what happened to the 100/200 are they not the First hence making them the 'CLASSIC'

The Boeing 737 Classic is the name given to the -300/-400/-500 series of the Boeing 737 following the introduction of the -600/-700/-800/-900 series. They are short- to medium- range, narrow-body jet airliners produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The Classic series was introduced as the 'new generation' of the 737.[2] Produced from 1984 to 2000, 1,988 aircraft were delivered.

[IslandBoy77]

A last question: what about sound? I've had a look at a couple of add-on sound packs:
http://secure.simmarket.com/engine-sound-c...-soundset.phtml
http://secure.simmarket.com/tfdi-design-73...-sound-v2.phtml
http://secure.simmarket.com/turbine-sound-...dpack-fsx.phtml

I wonder if anyone has any experience in using any of them or who could, by listening to the demos, tell me which is most realistic?

Cheers

[deeknow]

I bought the TSS CFM56-3 soundset a year or two back and love it, its definately a step up in realism from the frankly corny sounding Wilco base sound set (btw the v1 and v2/evo Wilco both seem to have exactly the same sound set). I imagine the ESC set for the 56-3 will be pretty similar, price is much the same, and you'll probably find one might have better exterior sounds than the other, one might have better cockpit rendering, either way I dont think you'll find a big difference.

One thing I really dig about the TSS sound pack is the rumble and shake as you lift the fuel lever at engine startup and things get busy in the fireworks department

The other sound pack from TFDI looks to be for the NG which is the CFM56-7 series powerplant so I imagine wont sound right to your brothers experienced ear Let's be honest though, few of us have spent enough time in the pointy end of a Classic to be too picky about the sounds right.