In the 60’s the 727 was the most popular aircraft in the world, and in spite of the years it still being one of the most known.
On 1963 the first 727 took off, but it entered in service in 1964. That was the 727-100.In 1967 the 727-200 was introduced with a longer fuselage than the -100 and it could carry up to 189 passengers.
The -200 was restricted because of its short range, due to having the same fuel capacity than the -100, Boeing noticed this and developed the 727-200 Advanced which was range increased. First flown in 1972, the changes included in this version were the increased fuel capacity, more powerful engines, and a more efficient structure.
Nowadays, the war for the 727 has finished, there are two companies that have the best 727 and is Flight1 and Dreamfleet.
I tested the 727 and I have to say that approaches to the reality in more than 90%, it has all and it simulates all. For example the systems, you can not start the engines if the APU is off, or if the pressure is low. Also if the aircraft hasn’t been correctly fuelled the engines could not work well, if you doesn’t fuel the central tank the engine number 2 doesn’t start. This is what I mean when I say that the 727 approaches to the reality.
Other points to consider are the flight dynamics, as Anthony Vallillo – 767 captain and former 727 captain for a major U.S. carrier- said, that the 727 of Flight 1 and Dreamfleet flies more real than anything he had ever seen. I agree with this guy, although I have never flown a real 727, I found it very nice to fly and very simple in the dynamic aspect.
I also want to highlight the textures and the night lighting, first the textures are so real-see the pictures below-very high detailed. The lights are the best I have ever seen, if you stop a moment and look for example at the landing lights you will feel like to be really next to a real 727-you can see the pictures below-.
You will find that al the 2D interior is very real and very high detailed, this is an other point to highlight, al the gauges and switches in all the 2D interior works perfectly, if you take a look to the FE’s lower and upper panels you will see that all works, and it’s photorealistic but well done, because as I said before, all the gauges work.
And what makes the 727 more real than all the other things, is the weather radar that is based on the highly known award winning Reality XP “WX500” weather radar. I believe that this is the best weather radar for Flight Simulator, and in the 727 is adapted to its structure and paint, if you compare with the real one, is a real copy. And all the switches of the radar work. Apart of this, you will save money, because if you purchase the Reality XP alone it would cost $24.95, but you can only use it in the 727not in other panels or aircrafts.
I have already talked about the 2D interior, but now I will talk about the 3D that is excellent because it has a very high frame rate, that others 3D interiors doesn’t so you can enjoy the 3D interior as well as the 2D, and apart of the frame rate is very well done, you will feel like to be in the real cockpit.
To summer up I will put a link to the features list that Dreamfleet has in the web site, because they are too numerous to put them here.
Enter here and see the official list of features:
http://www.dreamfleet2000.com/Previews/727/preview_features.html
If you want my opinion, I tell you that if I were you and I would buy and add-on for the Flight Simulator, I wouldn’t’ think it two times, and I would buy the Flight 1 and Dreamfleet 727 “Whisperjet”.
System Requirements
MICROSOFT FLIGHT SIMULATOR 2004
Windows – Windows XP
Processor – 1.8GHz
Memory – 512Mb
Hard Drive – 500Mb free
Video Card – 128Mb
