Ultimate Airliners: The DC-9 Classic is a state of the art simulation of the Douglas DC-9 aircraft for Flight Simulator X, Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition and Prepar3D. The DC-9 Classic simulates the DC-9-30 series aircraft and represents a new level of realism, simulation accuracy, graphics quality and included features coming from Coolsky.

The DC-9, built by the Douglas Aircraft Company, is a twin-engine, single-aisle, short to medium range jet airliner. The DC-9-30 is capable of carrying just over 100 passengers. It cruises at around 570 mph/910 km/h and has a range of about 1600 nautical miles (3000km). The DC-9 family of aircraft is one of the most successful series of airliners ever built with a total production of over 2,400 aircraft.

 

Panel

The DC-9 Classic comes with a fully operational 2D panel. Two forward views, two views of the pedestal, two views of the overhead panel, four circuit breaker panels, numerous training windows and an assortment of sub-panels and pop-up windows for all your piloting needs.

Both 16:9 and 16:10 widescreen versions and a 4:3 standard version of the panel are included.

Read more about the panel

Read more about the widescreen version

Read more about the overhead panel

 

Virtual Cockpit

The virtual cockpit 3D model and textures have been created by McPhat Studios. Widely known for their texture work, McPhat Studios are now also doing great 3D modeling work. They have put the same level of quality and attention to detail into their 3D modeling as they have in their award winning texture packages.

With everything modeled in 3D, even down to the smallest moving instrument parts, the virtual cockpit has been designed to maximize the immersion factor and to give you the feeling of 'being there' as you fly.

Read more about the virtual cockpit

 

Aircraft

The aircraft model, also modeled and textured by McPhat Studios, is just as rich in detail as the virtual cockpit. There are moving parts all around down to the individual control tabs on the control surfaces.

The external aircraft model fully simulates the “flying ailerons and elevators” of the DC-9. Rather than being hydraulically operated, like on most other aircraft, the DC-9 ailerons and elevator are operated by a control tab at the end of the control surface which flies the control surface up and down. This means the control surfaces won’t move on the ground when there is no air flowing over them.

Six high quality McPhat Studio liveries are included in the release package.

1. Aeromexico
2. Alitalia
3. Eastern Air Lines
4. Hawaiian Airlines
5. Scandinavian Airlines
6. Ansett Airlines of Australia

Further liveries are available in McPhat Studios award winning World Airliners addon textures package line.

 

The aircraft model’s doors and airstairs can be controlled and operated from the Ground Operations section in the Flight Center.

Read more about the included liveries

Read more about DC-9 Classic World Airliners 1

Read more about DC-9 Classic World Airliners 2

Read more about DC-9 Classic World Airliners 3

Read more about DC-9 Classic World Airliners 4

 

Views

An assortment of virtual cockpit, external aircraft and wing views are available for your convenience.

 

Read more about the virtual cockpit views

Read more about the wing views

 

Navigation Simulator

Radio navigation is the name of the game when you are flying a DC-9. The DC-9 Classic includes a Navigation Simulator that will have you up to speed and flying by radio navigation in no time at all.

The Navigation Simulator will show you, on a moving map style display, all the VORs and NDBs around you, your position in relation to them, your heading, your bearing from the selected station, the desired course to or from the selected station and where you are in relation to that plus a whole lot of other data.

The Navigation Simulator will give you visually on screen the mental picture that you need to have in your head in order to stay ahead of the aircraft and on top of your navigation.

Read more about the Navigation Simulator

Read more about radio navigation

 

Schematics

The DC-9 comes with live interactive schematic drawings of all major systems. These live interactive schematic drawings have been designed to help you understand exactly what is going on with your aircraft and its systems.

Sometimes it can be difficult to fully understand exactly what happens when you flip a certain switch, but with the schematic drawings you will see live exactly what is going on with the aircraft at all times.

Read more about the schematics

 

Failure Simulation

The failure simulation system in the DC-9 Classic allows you to practice how to respond to different types of emergency and abnormal situations and scenarios – just like professional pilots do when they go in for their regular simulator training ride.

The DC-9 Classic simulates 140+ individual system failures and situations in 3 categories of emergencies and 14 categories of abnormal situations. You can setup a single system to fail or you can set multiple systems to fail in sequence thus simulating broader failure scenarios.

Read more about failure simulation

 

Autopilot

The DC-9 Classic is equipped with the Sperry SP-50 Automatic Flight Control System. The Sperry is an old school autopilot with old school features. It may not have all the nice features of a modern autopilot. However, with the low level of automation in an old aircraft like the DC-9, you will find this autopilot indispensable.

Read more about the autopilot

 

Automatic Aircraft Configuration

The Automatic Aircraft Configuration feature, or Auto Config for short, has become one of the signature features of the Coolsky aircraft. The Auto Config feature has been designed to completely and properly set up the aircraft for you according to the selected phase of flight. All systems, switches, knobs and levers will automatically be set according to the appropriate checklist.

The Auto Config feature is a set-and-go type of feature. Once you have selected your Auto Config option, all that remains for you to do is fly the aircraft, navigate and enjoy your flight.

Read more about the automatic aircraft configuration feature

 

Training

To help you learn how to fly this new aircraft, the DC-9 Classic comes with an integrated cockpit training system. This training system guides you step-by-step through all the checklists and procedures necessary for the safe and proper operation of the aircraft.

As you step through the training lesson, the training system will describe exactly what you need to do. The training system will also automatically open the appropriate panel window and highlight the instrument, switch or lever being discussed. All the guess work and searching for switches has been taken out of the equation.

Read more about the Integrated Cockpit Training System

 

Dispatch

You can select the number of passengers and amount of cargo you will be transporting, as well as the fuel load needed for the planned flight in the Dispatch section of the Flight Center. You can open a complete Weight & Balance Control form for manual weight and balance calculations and you can print out a departure plan with a complete loadout summary, all in the Dispatch section of the Flight Center.

 

Read more about the Flight Center

 

Manuals

The DC-9 Classic manuals are available as free downloads. If you would like to have a look at the User Manual (product details and features) or the Aircraft Operating Manual (operations and system descriptions) before buying the DC-9 Classic, please feel free to download them here.

Read more about and download the DC-9 Classic manuals

 

Reviews

	As far as the features of this aircraft go, I hardly know where to start. The DC-9 is laden with features and perhaps the most practical starting point may be the Coolsky Flight Center which is the first thing you see on your screen when the aircraft is loaded. Well, at a price of $49.95, I would say that the Coolsky DC-9 is well worth its weight in “gold”. The features that have been provided in this product are second to none and the only thing that can honestly prevent you from buying this product is simply your preference between modern or classic aircraft. All things considered, I think that the innovative features provided in the Coolsky DC-9 warrants an Avsim Gold Star Award. Apart from one or two other products currently on the FS market, the DC-9 can rightly take its place as one of the most complex and innovative products available for FSX today. Why not give it a try yourself? Marlon Carter, staff reviewer for Avsim.com
	Mit der DC-9 kommt ein großes Stück Luftfahrtgeschichte in den FSX. Die Jungs von Coolsky haben sich mit bewundernswerter Hingabe, großem Geschick und echter Leidenschaft der Abrundung ihrer Produktpalette gewidmet. Herausgekommen ist ein echtes Juwel, das den Vergleich mit anderen Weltklasseprodukten aus Häusern wie A2A, FlightSimLabs oder PMDG locker besteht. Durch die clevere Ausstattung mit diversen Tools lässt sich der Flieger wirklich jedermann empfehlen. Egal, ob jemand erste Schritte mit Payware macht, ein Oldtimer-Fan in Nostalgie schwimmen will oder ein Simmer-Veteran eine neue Herausforderung in einer dynamischen Online-Umgebung sucht: hier kommt garantiert jeder auf seine Kosten. Die Redaktion verleiht deshalb der Coolsky DC-9-Classic den “Tip der Redaktion”. Stefan Benzinger, simFlight.com.
	Das Training Center ist ein complettes interaktives Training für die DC9. Damit lässt sich das Flugzeug mittels eigentlicher CBT-Mechanismen erfahren. Ich habe nur stichprobenweise hineingeschaut, aber eigentlich is das genau das, was man sich für jedes Add-on wünschen würde. Die Grafikk des Cockpits is für mich hervorragend gelöst. Sowohl die Texturen als auch die 3D-modellierung gehören zum Besten, was ich gesehen habe, und spielen in der absolut obersten Liga mit. Was mir bleibt, Espen und seinem Team zu einem genialen Add-on zu gratulieren und euch damit viel spass zu wünschen. Urs Wildermuth, Flight Magazine.

 

 

 

Testimonials

 

Thanks to all and especially thanks to Espen for giving us the opportunity to enjoy the best DC-9 ever made!

-Gianluca

 

The DC-9 is just divine, especially with all the training and config stuff that comes with it!

-David

 

I am a member of many forums, and this would have to be the best. This is helped by the fact that the DC-9 would have to be the most accurate sim out there, and also that those involved are so willing of their time and expertise to help those of us with less experience.

Congratulations to all involved, and thanks to all those great people on this forum - it is a pleasure and an honour to be included amongst such wonderful people.

And thanks to Espen in particular who has given us the benchmark in flight sims.

-Mal

 

We've got to give Martin some good words too. He took all that raw data that was in front of him and translated it into a flight model. There are a lot of performance attributes which people don't even think much about, such as the accurate time it takes to roll down the runway at TO thrust, the angle of attack at all flight phases, or the way that setting the EPR with what the Thrust Computer is demanding will deliver performance that is so close to the real numbers. This is one of those planes that you can take out the unreliable airspeed chart, set power and pitch, and it comes very close.

-James

 

Just a quick note of appreciation to the Espen and the Coolsky team. There are only a handful of developers out there who deliver quality worth purchasing. I just downloaded the newly released [other product] much to my disappointment. That exercise made me appreciate the very few who put out quality. I took the DC-9 for a spin right after the [other product]. A completely different world. So thanks Espen and Co. for doing such a great job.

-Brian

 

Just bought this in the last week. I'm very happy with this creation.

-Dave

 

Not a coincidence that participants in this Forum are consistently a step above the rest. Quality aircraft, attracts quality drivers. The respectful and helpful exchanges on this board have been, and remain, remarkable.

-Mike

 

To Espen, Terrence, and everyone associated with the DC-9 project, a hearty congratulations on a job well done. I have already taken a couple of "sightseeing flights" around Seattle. I was blown away. As a Super 80 and Pro veteran, I was able to start the DC-9 up without too much trouble. Now, the Super 80 Pro is one of my all-time favorites, while admitting that the graphics are nothing special. The DC-9, on the other hand, arguably sets a new standard for the virtual cockpit. And that's without the McPhat UHDT option. It is crisp, and has some character to it. without looking as beat-up as another favorite classic of mine, the 727 by Captain Sim. I can't think of another virtual cockpit I would put in the same class. But there's more beyond the good looks.

The Nav Sim is brilliant. At first I thought it was just a stand-alone training tool of some sort. But I quickly realized that it was an ingenious navigation supplement to make radio navigation convenient without destroying the realism. It even dials in your frequencies if you want it to! This is the type of pilot-centered, above-and-beyond attention to detail that we have come to expect from Coolsky. More importantly, it makes this airplane accessible to a wider audience that may not feel confident in their radio navigation skills. (Let's face it, most hard-core sim-pilots are more likely to know how to program and FMC than navigate from one VOR to another.)

While you have to do the right things in the right order to start up from a cold and dark situation, it really isn't that difficult. An interactive training system walks you through step by step. While the cockpit may look intimidating at first glance, the airplane will help you master it. The autopilot is simple and solid, without any niggling little flaws. Even so, this is not a "fire and forget" airplane. You will have something to do during the entire flight.

So what Coolsky has done is produce a beautiful, complex classic jet, then made it easy to learn how to fly. No developer puts himself in the shoes of his customers like Espen.

Enough with the guts of this airplane. How does she look? Simply gorgeous, inside and out. I've already mentioned the virtual cockpit. Outside is nice-looking, too. McPhat has provided "Normal Definition" paints, but even those are superb. No doubt I'll be springing for an airline pack and the UHDT cockpit, although it's hard to imagine much of an improvement.

Airplanes are made to fly, so how does this one perform? I have been out of flight simulation for nearly three years. So I'm very out of practice. Yet, I had no trouble flying the DC-9. The autopilot, again, is easy to use, once you realize what it isn't going to do for you. You can use heading select, or -- with an assist from Nav Sim -- VORs and NDBs. I found the VOR tracking to be stable, without the snaking back and forth I've seen in other products. Hand-flying is fun. This airplane is not "twitchy," but has a solid feel. Some add-ons seem overly responsive, which leads to chasing inputs back and forth. Not the DC-9. It was easy and steady under the joystick. I was able to hand-fly approaches with ease. (There is an ILS assist, but I haven't gotten into the manual yet and practiced that.) The only thing that made me wonder a bit is that she does not want to become a mere land animal again. She floats down the runway, resisting my best efforts to settle her down until I say "enough of this nonsense," and put her down with more decisiveness than finesse.

I think this is a truly remarkable airplane that deserves a wide audience, based on my first impressions. Thank you!

-Tim Capps

 

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