AirDailyX: CLS MD-87 : 12 bucks for a 17 feet shorter aircraft ?

Commercial Level Simulations (CLS), has delivered a new expansion for his McDonnell Douglas MD 81/82, after the Komplettpaket with german language support. The new package gives us the opportunity to fly the MD-87 version of this jetliners family. This aircraft is one of the most recent one from this manufacturer, launched in 1985. It's a smaller version with a total length of 130 feet 5 inches, 17 feet shorter than its elder brother, the MD-80.

What it brings ? The expansion is included in a 120 mb file. The installation is simple but a bit odd. For example, when you enter the security key you need to press enter, otherwise you are not going further on the process. At the end, you find 8 new liveries ; Allegiant, American Airlines, Aero Mexico, City Airline, Austrian, Iberia, Finnair and SAS. You will need to download the original MD-81/82 manual on CLS website.

Interest ? After 2 flights aboard this plane, i did not feel any differences from the MD-81. The cockpit is exactly the same (they tell it officially) but i don't understand why : the real MD-87 variant had something new ; an electronic flight instrumentation and avionic. In reality, there were also a lot of small changes in the yoke, the weather radar, the pedestal architecture etc. Too bad CLS didn't take the time to include these changes. And too bad, they didn't improve the aircraft landing model and profil neither. For instance, the MD-81/82 can't even flare normally. The external sounds are also awful.

Nevertheless, the aircraft from CLS is still a good average core simmer product. This version can be used to learn the systems (75 % are simulated, modeled) prior to experimenting the Super80 Coolsky or the Maddog MD82. Be warned that this aircrat can't really be used in VATSIM or IVAO. First, the FMS only contains basic FSX waypoints which is way insufficant today. There are also speed considerations. It still an interesting experience though ; the approach configuration is far awy from modern jetliners. Speed adjustments take a long time, trim and spoilers must be used accordingly etc.

NB : A weather radar can be add in 2D or even VC cockpit ; from Reality XP, from Captain Sim or from HiFi Active sky advanced Xgauge. A special manual explains that pretty clearly in the MD 81/82 basic manual.

Updated / 15/02 : I made a new "test flight" from Sucre to La paz in Bolivia and the approach was a very thrilling experiment. The aircraft behaves heavily, slowly but its a real challenging flight. Interesting.