Review 115
 

737 PILOT IN COMMAND AND WILCO PUBLISHING



The first 737 (-100) took off on April 9, 1967, that was the maiden flight. In 1968 the 737 enter into service, but only 30 737-100 were built. So the 737-200 comes alive on August 8, 1967 with it first flight, then the 737-200 Advanced took off for the first time on April 15, 1971. This one had been more successful than it previous version, the 737-100.


Later the 737-300 comes taking off for first time on February 24, 1984 with a maximum capacity of 149 passengers, 34 passengers more than the 737-100.


The 737-300 was modificated lots of times, the Electronic Flight Instrumentation System (EFIS), also the engines had been changed lots of times.


On February 19, 1988, 4 years after the 737-300 first flight, the 737-400 did it’s first flight. Carrying now 174 passengers, good difference with the -300.

The 737 has become the best selling commercial aircraft in aviation history with more than 5,900 orders from 225 customers. I found and some statistics of the 737:

• About 1,250 737s are in the air at any time.
• A 737 takes off somewhere in the world every 5 seconds.
• The 737 fleet has flown about 296 million hours in revenue service, travelling 75 billion nautical miles in 232 million flights.
• 737’s have carried about 12 billion passengers.

FeelThere and Wilco Publishing have developed this fabulous aircraft; they have made the 737-300 the -400 and the -500. They come only in passenger versions, and you have many models to select. I will talk in general (-300, -400 and -500 together).

You can select if you want it with Virtual Cockpit or Wing view or both.

The external model is very nice, high detailed with all the 737 real parts. I want to highlight the textures that are wonderful, really very nice and very realistic.

The planes comes with the original Boeing 737’s livery (look pictures), but you can download a very good quantity of liveries of all the world airlines. Very good job of FeelThere in it.


I also want to highlight the sound that is really excellent, it sounds very good. All parts have sound and a very realistic one, you will feel that you are in the real cockpit, is one of the best things that this aircraft have.

The 2D panel is also very complete; you will find all that the real aircraft has, with a very detailed level, all the instruments are in operation, and the panel has very realistic textures.

But I really want to emphasize on the flight dynamics, are EXCELLENT! Is the best thing of this development, you will found them very realistic and so simple.


So if you are going to buy an add-on I recommend the PIC 737-300/-400/-500.

www.feelthere.com

www.wilcopub.com

General features:
• Highly detailed Boeing 737-300/400/500 models
• GMax exterior/interior models
• Simulated systems : IRS, Flight Controls, Fuel Systems, Electrics , Anti-Ice, Hydraulics, Pressurization, Pneumatics, Air Conditioning, Lights, more.
• Photorealistic 2D panels, including multiple views
• Interactive Virtual cockpit – Just like in the real aircraft
• Detailed passenger’s view and cabin
• Numerous international liveries and Boeing’s house livery (Liveries list available here)
• Frame-rate friendly
• Easy-to-use PAINT KIT to create your own airline
• First Officer callouts
Aircraft features:
• Realistic flight dynamics engineered by a FS flight dynamics expert Rob Young and tested by active 737 pilots
• Digitized sounds set recorded from the real plane : engine, APU, batteries, air conditioning, passenger signs, clicks makes it a very realistic audio experience
• Realistic animations : hydraulic suspension, flaps, slats, spoilerons, speed brakes, thrust reversers, landing gear, passengers and cargo doors.
• High-resolution textures (32 bits) optimized for the best performance
Panel features:
• Fully functional Weather Radar, showing clouds density, rains, storms
You can now safely fly around dangerous weather conditions.
• Inertial Reference System (IRS) – Fully working Navigational System
• Complete Traffic & Collision Avoidance System II (TCAS) simulation with audio-visual Traffic Advisory and Resolution Advisory system
• Fully simulated autoland system
• Hotspots on the panel to access multiple 2D panels
• Graphic panel resolution up to 1600 x 1200 pixels !
• Overhead : major systems simulated
• Vector graphics displays (GDI+ technology) for nicer and smoother graphics
• Very accurate AutoPilot control panel simulating ALL the 737 features
• Realistic FMS : main features including SIDs & STARs and all the ‘bells and whistles’ you would expect from a Pilot in Command product
• FMC Database : standard feelThere database, updated regularly
• Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) with multiple callouts
• Pop up instrument (PFD, ED,...) screens for multi-monitor displays
• Numerous warnings and caution messages
• Battery and generators switches fully operative with corresponding action
• APU startup/shutdown sequences fully simulated, for a complete cold & dark cockpit
• Fully working and complete thrust management simulation
• HARDWARE Compatibility : Go Flight modules & Track IR Deluxe Pack



Matias N. Roitman
matias@fsplanet.com