Review: CockpitSimulator 737 MCP and EFIS
CockpitSimulator 737X MCP and EFIS are 1:1 scale hardware built as realistic as real cockpit. It is suitable for flight simulation on the desktop or home cockpit. It supports most of mainstream 737 software on the market, including PMDG737 for MSFS. I received a EFIS and MCP as review sample from the manufacture.
If you are interested in buying it, Message me, or send an email to marketing-eu@cockpit-simulator.com to get a limited voucher discount! ($100 off for MCP, $60 off for EFIS, $30 off for stand, and $160 off for CDU) Though I would get a small benefit from that, I tried to keep my opinion unbiased when I wrote this review.
Appearance and Building Quality
It astonished me and my friends when we unpacked it. It looks amazing (as it should be, considering its price) and really close to a real 737 cockpit (I was lucky enough to be able to enter 737’s cockpit for a few times). Little difference can be found when it is compared with pictures and PMDG’s 737 in MSFS.
When it comes to detail, I would say it generally satisfied me, with some minor deficiencies. Fonts are accurate and printed clearly on the matte plastic shell, and green indicator lights in the switch also looks awesome. However, the edge on the backward of the heading knobs is not perfect, as races left by injection molding can be found. The speed knob is a few degrees tilted on the sample I received.
Texture and Feel
I have never touched those panels in real cockpit hence I couldn’t tell if it is realistic. But most buttons, switches, and knobs feel really good, and meet my expectation of what they should be. Buttons on MCP feels like blue switch on mechanical keyboard, with long trave distance and satisfying ‘click’ sound. The magnetic A/T switch also has a good mechanical feeling, which will be discussed in later.
Despite of those advantages, there is still a few things that I think could be improved. The inner knob of heading selector is more tight than other knobs (due to different type of decoder), and the small buttons on EFIS are also really hard to press. They are not the same type of mechanical buttons on MCP. Green indicator lights could also be brighter, as I found them not bright enough during day time when there’s sunlight in the room (but not direct under sunlight).
Connection with Software
Before I plugged into my PC, I thought there would be some manual setting that need to be done in order to make it work. But no, it is basically PLUG AND PLAY. I connect the MCP with USB, downloaded the bridge software from their web, double clicked it, then I launched the Microsoft flight simulator and loaded the 737. And EVERYTHING JUST WORKED. This is the fastest flight sim hardware setup experience I have ever had. Thanks to their really matured developed software.
The bridge software (connecting the sim aircraft and the device) also has a nice interface. It displays the state of the hardware and software. There are also integrated testing and firmware upgrading features.
Flying Experience
I tested and flied the device with PMDG 737-700 for MSFS. Everything is works normal, without any latency or stuttering. Especially when the aircraft is loaded in the game, switches (e.g. FD, VOR/ADF, and AP disengage) and knobs (e.g. bank angle limit and HPA/INN selector) the aircraft would be synchronized with the position of the hardware from the first instance, unlike on some joysticks where a input (change of the state of a switch/button) need to be made in order for the game to synchronize). The only thing that looks slightly differ from the game is the direction of the icon on CRS knob, and that is acceptable, considering how the knob’s decoder works.
The way the A/T switch works is also fascinating to me. It is a magnetic switch, which can be electrically held at ‘ON’ position. I can feel the mechanical structure when I lift the switch up. Without connection to flight sim, the switch won’t stay up (unless the bride software is in test mode). When it is connected, the switch would be held at ON state, unless it is disengaged in the game, or via the disengage button on the throttle. Once it is released, the physical switch would be automatically switched off.
Should you buy it?
The 999 doller price tag means it is not a for the market of budget flight sim setup. But if you are planning to build a home cockpit, or make your flight sim more immersive, this is definitely a good choice to consider. It has more features compared to other products at the same price, and the ‘plug and play’ really save time. I had experiences with some other hardware that require hours of adjustment in the software that really made me headache, and it would be bad for long-term maintenance for the system. Therefore, I think this CS-737 really worth the money in today’s market.
