SkySimulations DC-9 for 2020 & 2024

V1 is an IRL airliner pilot but afaik he doesn’t have any real world experience on the dc-9. So like you said, hopefully someone with actual flying experience can show us the plane

If you’re looking for PMDG or JustFlight quality, this ain’t it guys, keep looking.

I’ve been a Sky Simulations customer since the old FSX days, and in my opinion the DC-9 was their best product, at least their FSX/P3D version. I haven’t tried this release yet, but surely will in the next couple of days.

Pros about this developer - They put an emphasis on variety (they made the -10 through the -50 in P3D, plus freighter and military versions), good enough system modeling, good eye candy (opening doors, ground service, etc.), and they release regular updates.

Cons - Not so great texturing and modeling, and the price seems a bit steep for their MSFS versions.

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I suspect many (but probably not all) ‘bugs’ will turn out to be user error. The community has identified a few as such already. This is why it’s never a good idea to pile negativity on a new aircraft (not suggesting you have, of course) — especially before the dev has even had chance to address any issues.

It’s not Fenix but it looks acceptable. I’ve seen worse — including on the new FSLabs 321. The only obviously poor aspect seems to be the sound. A shame since those JT8Ds are such a defining feature of the DC-9. How I miss that beautiful noise…

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I’d like to see someone who has actual time in a DC-9/MD-80/B717 give this one a good run. So far I’ve seen two streams, both by IRL pilots without time in type, and in both cases they had uncommanded engine shutdowns in flight. I’d like to know what “user error” would be involved in causing that.

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They don’t mention separate packages for MSFS20/24 from this link, which may rather make think we get both for the given price, which is currently €59.99 in Europe ??? What’s your point guys, does anyone already purchased the DC-9 from there ?

Additional wondering : would we be ensure the VOR handling feature wouldn’t be made obsolete in far/near future in the sim, as we see decommissioning occurring in RL, so aircraft with VOR only will become useless ? Just a question here, bring to my mind from what the community already wrote around specific DC-9 instrument set, nothing critical though …

We do, both packages are in my/your account. For me, the 2024 package isn’t installing, and I’m sure I’m not alone.

As for VORs, it’s possible to add them via .bgl files, it’s entirely possible someone could take a map of worldwide VORs in the mid 80s and make a BGL that reflects that.

(It’s also possible to time gate FS scenery, has been since at least FS 3.0 when hawaii’s volcano had time gated eruptions, so it’s possible you could lock those VORs such that they are only active if the simulation time is in the 1980s, but that would probably put off a lot of people who prefer to fly with the current date and time)

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One precision is, there we get two separate packages, with each its own single price €58.80 meaning 2 x €58.80 for both = €117.60 :

FS2020

FS2024

while/where here, on the contrary, we get both packages with only a single €59.99 price (not 2 x €59.99)

image

Or have I fully misunderstood ??

According to a product user above, their fuel pumps were incorrectly set.

Yes, I guess someone could :slight_smile:

Consider this, though:

  • Where would you get a reliable database (map is not enough) from? Preferably free of charge.
  • Such database needs to be properly geolocated.
  • How about NDBs?
  • How about ILSs and associated terminal navaids?
  • How about correct ranges?
  • How about period correct approach charts? (and en-route, terminal…)
  • And all that ideally for the whole world…
  • (not talking about correct 1980s magnetic variation because that is already available)

I guess this is the best shot so far, but it is 1958:
[RELEASED] U.S. Golden Age of Air Travel - 1958 navaids - Discussion Hub / Airports - Microsoft Flight Simulator Forums

“On” is incorrect?

ALL on is, yes

The startup state of On/Off/On On/Off/On is the normal way DC-9s were flown, with the centre tank transfer then being used to top up the wing tanks once they’ve burnt off a little fuel.

Lots of vintage jetliners had fuel systems that required more work than just ‘turn everything on at once’

No idea, I’m just repeating verbatim what was said. I don’t own it so can’t comment.

There is at least one addon on Flightsim.to that adds all the vor/ndb for example;

https://flightsim.to/file/72415/worldwide-update-decommissioned-navigation-aids

or
https://flightsim.to/file/71888/golden-age-of-air-travel-u-s-navaids-as-of-1958

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Is it available for Xbox?

Not yet. Don’t know if they plan to release for console.

Has it been withdrawn from Just Flight web site?
Cannot find it.

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Wow, it is gone. The link from the JustFlight email I got a couple of days ago says " Product not found: sky+simulations+mcdonnell+douglas+dc+9+msfs"

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As I said again JustFlight usually distributes good and reliable add-ons.
Maybe they didn’t want to gamble their reputation on the few dollars this can make.

Having said that the add-on is expensive for what it is, true but is not really that bad, it does have a few important bugs:

  • Elevator/Rudder/aileron servos for AP switches are reversed.
  • You can’t turn off the APU (apparently, maybe with a keybind?).
  • You need the starter pump to turn on the engine (it is not needed in the real plane).
  • You need the crossfeed on or the engines will not take fuel from wing tanks (this is weird and bad).

For me the biggest issue is the lack of trust in the devs, I don’t own the MD-11 by SkySimulations but I would like to know if it was ever updated or if bugs were fixed.

I really love the DC-9 so in its current state I would buy it from a trustworthy dev, but I’m not buying it if this is how the product will be for the next 365 days or even forever.

They have never fixed MD-11, but it was clearly to high bar for this dev to build highly complex computer based, heavy airliner which MD-11 is.

The Dc-9 is much simpler plane, purely analogue, simple, raw autopilot, radio navigation so after many years in the business I would expect them to be able to fix these bugs. But the question is why did they release this addon witch such bugs at all…

Surely it’s not bad enough for JF to pull it from sale? Sounds like they either know something we don’t, or the FS2024 installation issues are too much of a problem.