Jump to content

Aircraft Review Update : Boeing 787-900 v1.6.0 by Magknight


Stephen

Recommended Posts

Boeing 787-9_v1.6.0 Header Aviator.jpg

 

Aircraft Review Update : Boeing 787-900 v1.6.0 by Magknight

 

This is an updated review of the edition I published in early October (5th). I review as I see it, and that is good in the fact is what I see you can also see warts and all, the good and the bad. But in this case with Magknight's Boeing 787-9, the aircraft didn't come out in the flying aspect very good at all, in fact it was awful, and it was a simply awful experience all round.

 

The review bothered me in several aspects, mostly I want you to get a realistic perspective on the aircraft, and from the perspective of the developer's development, that review had done neither, but the biggest nagging doubt was why the aircraft behaved as badly and as oddly as it did?

 

So I went back to the aircraft and flew it again, and three times over the same route to answer a few of my own questions...  that report is down and in the "Flying the Boeing v1.6 Dreamliner" section of this review, the rest is as per the original report, only to note my departure airport was switched from BNE-Brisbane to MEL-Mebourne, so the original report section was based at BNE and the updated section is set at MEL and hence the differences.

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_head 1.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_head 2.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_head 3.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_head 4.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_head 5.jpg

 

Magknight has timely released their latest v1.6.0 version of the Boeing 787-900 Dreamliner, so was it just another update or a reaction to the announcement by FlightFactor, as that yes indeed their next "Pro" aircraft is going to be also a Dreamliner. Either way X-Plane needs all the Dreamliners it can get, pilot's want to fly the latest aircraft and currently along with the Airbus A350-900 then the Dreamliner is it.

 

But the development process of Magknight's project has been a long one, if even a confusing one at that...  what started out a small Dreamliner freeware project, became a payware project and then a sort of "Pro" (nee expensive) project. Users followed like devotes to some religion, but their dedication has been rewarded, if only by going the really long way around than a straight forward development process.

 

The external design or modeling has gone through I think about three incarnations, as also has the internals, from average, to good, to far better....  The externals were again (if finally) updated in version 1.4 so any of the extensive list of earlier liveries now won't work and they went straight into the trash bin, so a completely new paintkit and anything past v1.5 now has to be redone, but all for the better mind you. v1.4 also gave you (another) cabin revamp and new GE engines, and then v1.5 dropped an experimental version of the RR Trent 1000 engines... although someone here is not at all impressed with your engine choice!

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_head 6.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_head 7.jpg

 

And ACARS the Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System was also introduced on the v1.5 release.

 

Boeing 787-900 v1.6.0

Gradually the Dreamliner has been molded into shape, from a far better external shape (and that earlier nose profile?) to a far better cabin and cockpit. But here again in v1.6.0 the cockpit gets another complete revamp, another remodeling to get closer to the Dreamliner's office in realism.

 

Outwardly at first glance the 787 cockpit does not seem THAT different... 

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_Cockpit 1.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Cockpit 2.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Cockpit 3.jpg

 

....   but once you start to dig, you see a lot of changes. The detail of the switchgear is now quite superb, detailed and has that lovely plastic quality, even the attachment screws are clearly visible. Now Mousewheel Manipulators (scroll) work as is all of the manipulators and animations across all buttons are now also all new...  I however found a few halve arrow adjustments, like for the heading just far too small and tight to use effectively and efficiently, and as many click and as quickly disappear from view?

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_Cockpit 4.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Cockpit 5.jpg

 

The glareshield is more better textured, and so is the main instrument facia surround, you are now starting to see a realism, rather than the more earlier modeling feel to the aircraft. The problem has that the changes have been introduced at a glacial pace, a few here and a few there over countless updates, but suddenly you look around you everywhere and you are noticing that this is now a seriously nice cockpit.

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_Cockpit 6.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Cockpit 7.jpg

 

That once missing authentic detail is now starting to pour out of the aircraft, and it is losing that cheapness (freeware) look and it is now slowly being replaced by an overall quality feel.

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_Cockpit 8.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Cockpit 9.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Cockpit 10.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Cockpit 11.jpg

 

What was once looking like a bad price deal, is now starting to look like a really good value for money experience, the Dreamliner is quite not totally up there yet, because of one big infraction...  the FMS, as it is still the old Laminar version in a glossy interface... note there is no actual FMS facia as the system is built into the lower monitor display (you can also move it to the upper displays), and the display does have that grey interface, it looks actually odd in context, but it is correct to B787's installation. It works well with the new double screen WebFMC Pro interface as well.

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_Cockpit 12.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Cockpit 13.jpg

 

But with added in system interactions it is now getting way along on the road to being a study aircraft, certainly there is still far more that has to be installed, but you finally feeling that you are flying and interacting with a new-era cockpit, rather than a 60's relic.... or worse a basic PlaneMaker interaction.

 

EFB - Electronic Flight Bag

The Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) has been a "Work in Progress" over several update releases, originally it was quite basic (and buggy), but this v1.6.0 version is now starting to to be far more comprehensive and more importantly a more mature system to use. Both left (Pilot) and right (First Officer) EFBs work (but not independently of each other)...

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_EFB 1.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_EFB 2.jpg

 

...  there is a direct (mouse) cursor control (you have to touch outside of the EFB screen to regain cockpit manipulator and view control), and the same cursor system works on the other direct access displays in the FMS and Main MFD (Multi-Functional) display)

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_EFB 3.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_EFB 4.jpg

 

And the cursor idea works very well with selection and general EFB use.

 

New (besides the general better layout and use) there is a better WTBAL (Weight/Balance) calculator...  "PERFORMANCE" won't activate unless you set up your route and INITIALIZE (Initialise) the EFB, the aircraft's weight and loading also has to be done first as well to get the correct fuel/Weights loadings for the flight. Then press the PERFORMANCE tab...

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_EFB 5.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_EFB 6.jpg

 

Adjust any details you require for the Takeoff (performance) then press the CALC button, and then the correct takeoff data is displayed lower section...  change any parameters and the CALC will readjust the performance data to match the changes, and excellent it is.

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_EFB 7.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_EFB 8.jpg

 

...  same with the Landing (Performance), but as you know, in a lot of scenarios, you don't know the landing data until you get closer to your destination (Wind/Air Pressure and even the aircraft's weight), so you may get a negative display. Calculations included are: Takeoff calculator, Automatic derate calculation, Automatic trim calculation, NTX and runway slope support (using extremeData)

and Max weight for runway, and the same for the Landing calculator. Also noted is now the full selection of autobrakes RTO, 1-4 and MAX selections, and if you are using on landing Full Reverse, Thrust or Auto Spoilers settings...  very impressive!

 

We did see part of this Performance Calculator working in earlier versions, but not to this now a far more finished and polished interface.

 

Aircraft Configuration

Loading the aircraft (weights) is also now a far more better interaction. Access is via the AIRCRAFT CONFIG tab...

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_EFB 9.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_EFB 10.jpg

 

...  and the first tab gives you the aircraft's current loading situation. The rest of the tabs then give you access to Crew, PAX (Passenger), Cargo and Fuel loadings. The detail is excellent including even the selection of Crew baggage (weight) on a Domestic or International Flight (Long Haul), the selection is via the number of crew on board or 15kg if International.

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_EFB 11.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_EFB 12.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_EFB 13.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_EFB 14.jpg

 

Passenger baggage weights are automatically calculated with the numbers carried, and as I am doing here only a domestic service (Brisbane to Melbourne) then the fuel load is not very high either (15,000kg) as per SimBrief. When you have sorted out your loading, then press "Apply Changes" to set the required loads and weights, which are then detailed as your ZFW (Zero Fuel Weight), Takeoff and Landing Weights with you Centre of Gravity (MAC) percentages.

 

Interesting tab is the "GALLEY" tab... here you can set the weights for the "Galley Code" in LR (Long Range), International, Short-haul One Way, Short-haul Return and No Galley Fitout. Loading weights are quite surprisingly quite different between the domestic and long-haul choices, a really nice to have and clever feature.

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_EFB 15.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_EFB 16.jpg

 

Another new change on the EFB under the "Settings" tab is that you can now set the windows and cockpit (panel) reflections On/Off.

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_EFB 17.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_EFB 18.jpg

 

ACARS

In version v1.5.1 there was the introduction of the excellent Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System or ACARS, under the COMM page.

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_ACARS 1.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_ACARS 2.jpg

 

There was a ACARS message formatting issue and an ACARS spelling mistake, and both have rectified in this update version, excellent, but it would be nice to have the Oceanic Clearance work, can it work in X-Plane? Very handy...

 

EICAS - Engine-Indicating and Crew-Alerting System has had bugs attended to with Stab trim indicator is now correct, EICAS settings too high now adjusted, and the EICAS warning/caution reset now fixed. and the PA volume has been made a bit louder, and noted more persistent.

 

Lighting

As per Boeing panel layouts the Boeing 787 has several lighting selections that all do really the same action...   DOME will bring up the main cockpit (rear lights), but STORM does the same thing but is not adjustable, there is a third full cockpit lighting adjustment with MASTER BRIGHT, and the button at the bottom will do a full override of the adjust knob.

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_Lighting 1.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Lighting 4.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Lighting 2.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Lighting 3.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Lighting 5.jpg

 

I always really loved that LED dropdown panel lighting, and it is still as brilliant as ever, more so with the better switchgear...  There are now two forward overhead spotlights for MAP lighting and nice lighting fillers they are...

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_Lighting 6.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Lighting 7.jpg

 

The B787 is a long hauler, so you have to be seriously comfortable in here over the long hours in flight, and it is now perfect. As you know I am funny about light bleed into the cockpit, but the Magknight B787 is getting extremely good at finding the right settings for the right lighting situation, so there has been some significant improvements to the lighting here in v1.6.0, and all to the very good.

 

Cabin lighting is very good as well, but still not adjustable, but I have no doubt that option will come in future releases, but what we have is still nicely done...  oddly I found the Dreamliner cabin feeling a little small for a twin-aisle aircraft, more a A332 than a wide B777. The cabin is now blue throughout, and the horrible rainbow lighting effects has been dropped in First and Bus class, thank god.

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_Lighting 10.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Lighting 11.jpg

 

External lighting aspect is looking pretty nice as well, and very realistic from every angle.

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_Lighting 8.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Lighting 9.jpg

 

Flying the v1.6 Dreamliner

As noted this section has been revised...

 

The flying aspects of the Magknight B787-9 have always been a bit average, mostly because many of the basics are as noted still connected to Planemaker and not to a dedicated plugin, to a point this has caused most of my confusion in flying the aircraft as we shall see, and to note a very long list of complaints of when I did the last v1.4 Boeing 787-9 Aviator review...

 

But back in BNE with after pushback, I got seriously confused...

 

"Dynamically there are some serious basics wrong here...  a lot of time early in the flight after pushback was wasted trying to get the tiller to work...    you can set the tiller for a manual control, what the "settings" need to be though is for the "Use Roll for the NWS" to be ON to actually get nose wheel control, this should be default and not the other way around, reload the aircraft and it switches it back off again, annoying."

 

Those comments were noted in the last v1.6 review, and I have finally figured the odd system out...  and odd it is?   There are two settings for the nose wheel control with the joystick, the rudder is moving with yaw on the same movement of the front nosewheel, this is the standard setting for most X-Plane flying....

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_Flying 1.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_Flying 2.jpg

 

Yaw is when you twist your Joystick left or right...   but both controls in rudder and nosewheel move at the same time, but the B787 is like the A320 in that the nosewheel in movement moves slightly slower than the rudder which is not good, realistic but not suited to a yaw action.

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_Flying 5.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_Flying 6.jpg

 

.... but there is an option to use the "Roll" on the Nose Wheel Steering in the menu, first this disconnects the nosewheel from the rudder yaw, which means you can move the rudder without any movement of the nosewheel, and that is important!

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_Flying 3.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_Flying 4.jpg

 

In the "Roll" option then the Nose wheel Steering is controlled via the "Roll' or bank movement of the Joystick...

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_Flying 7.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_Flying 8.jpg

 

....  so now by tilting your joystick left or right the nosewheel will turn, but the rudder stays straight. It feels odd and certainly takes time in getting used to, but it does give you a far more tiller feel to your taxiing, but there is more important reasons to use this feature as we shall see. A note is that if you have rudder pedals, then there is another setting in "Use Tiller Axis" to switch to over those.

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_Flying 9.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_Flying 10.jpg

 

One other important note is that aircraft's engines have to be running to move (or to power) the nosewheel, another blind alley I went up.

 

In earlier flights I found the aircraft really weird in takeoff and in the air, again I quote myself in the last review...

 

"Power up and the sounds do come in, but still very, very low, even from the cabin perspective. at v1 - 129kts and "whoa" the nose lifts...  5º of flap should not lift the nose at v1? so suddenly you are fighting the aircraft to keep the nose wheel on the ground (unsuccessfully), the aircraft is now twisting on you as well (note, the Dreamliner is a very automated aircraft, but this "I will fly the aircraft for you", is certainly not realistic?"  I go on when in the air...

 

"Climbing out the B787 is unstable? and worse I am running out of pitch to keep the nose down, the aircraft just wants to go vertical nose up...   I fixed this by adjusting the pitch trim (manually from the keyboard)...  a lot, in fact far too much adjustment was required to bring the nose down to an acceptable climb rate. I am fighting to keep this aircraft in the air... take a look at the FCTL of the elevators, and that elevator position is not normal...."

 

The clue is in the above comments, and it nagged at me for ages... and then I found it!

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_Flying 11.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_Flying 13.jpg

 

When you do a "CALC" (Calculation) on the EFB, it gives you your load CG (Centre of Gravity), in this case 26.1% with a TO trim as noted (yellow arrow) of 4.25º, so you need to adjust your trim for Takeoff, it makes sense of course. The fix is to simply adjust your takeoff Trim in the MFD into the green zone of 4.25º, and doing this is via the manual pitch trim (you will need to use a keyboard input).

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_Flying 12.jpg

 

So how could such a seasoned pro like me get it so wrong?

 

The issue is that Magknight are still using Planemaker as their basis of the aircraft. Setting manual pitch trims for takeoff is mostly done on pre-80's aircraft, say the Rotate MD80 or FJS Boeing 727/737, even the IXEG B733, but on current modern heavy aircraft it is done via the FMC, usually on the secondary PERF or INIT pages (some developers add it in automatically when filling the data in). But Magknight here doesn't use a dedicated FMC for the Dreamliner, but just the bog standard Laminar FMS, and there is no CG entry on the FMS system, hence the manual input... my original guess was as the Magknight B787 was very automated, then to get around this deficit they added it in automatically from the "Calc", page...  obviously not, as it is just a simple manual adjustment, I was thinking high modern new era cockpit, but the setting was actually low basic X-Plane.

 

Another point (yes another) is the B787 requires the "Experimental Flight Model" to be selected off (Settings/General), if not the aircraft will not fly correctly, this was changed in v1.14...

 

I am flying from MEL-Melbourne to PER-Perth and a distance of 1521 nm (3h34m), and it takes a few moments to adjust to the odd way of taxiing via leaning the joystick to the right or left...   you sorta get used to it, but your instincts want to twist and not to lean.

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_Flying 14.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_Flying 15.jpg

B7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_Flying 16.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_Flying 18.jpg

 

Sounds are really very good, but you don't have much control over them...  in taxiing they are too low in volume (The Dreamliner is amazingly very low acoustically internally) but there is almost nothing you can hear here at all if you want to hear those lovely GE engines (or RR if fitted).

 

On takeoff you will need skill to get it all right, first control the direction via the roll tiller (slightly), then when once the aerodynamics kicks in you can then leave it alone and go for the rudder yaw, the tricky part is not to over-react with the roll tiller and holding on to it too long because you will lift a wing (it is connected to the Roll, not the yaw) and that will make for a messy takeoff and a twist away from the centre of the runway, so you are all the time feeling out the rudder to get it's own direction control, once the rudder becomes active you are then in complete control of the direction...  it sounds easy but it needs a little practice, to perfect, but get it right and it feels all very realistic. In time I felt the use of both the Roll and Rudder interaction together as the cross over point, then you transfer the actions from one to the other, it is all in the feel.

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_Flying 19.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_Flying 20.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_Flying 21.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_Flying 22.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_Flying 23.jpg

 

Again it is vitally important that all the input performance data is correct and "Intialized" in the EFB, and of course you correctly set the TO Trim setting at 4.25 as noted for takeoff.

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_Flying 30.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_Flying 31.jpg

 

Depending on your weight your rotation should be around 175 knts +10, and thankfully normal. Because the Trim is set correctly, so your not fighting the aircraft in the climb either because it is balanced correctly...

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_Flying 24.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_Flying 25.jpg

 

Before it was...

 

"At v2 and then v2+10 I'm already well off the runway, then fighting the aircraft in the air to keep it level? It is twisting on me like it is in a 18kt - 20kt crosswind, but I only have an almost head-on 9º wind force, the B787 should not twist like this hard in these conditions? It feels like the engine power is completely out of balance?"

 

Now the Dreamliner flies correctly and true. I did find in a few test runs the V/S (Vertical Speed) would not activate, annoying...  turning the A/P off, then back on fixed it, but it is annoying at a critical point of the climb.

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_Flying 26.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_Flying 27.jpg

 

Fixing the pitch trim seems to have also fixed a bank trim, that I simply couldn't dial out before...

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_Flying 11.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Flying 12.jpg

 

...  now the aircraft is flying level, but it can still strangely behave a little weird now and again, and if you are paranoid (like me), you can use the X-Plane setting "Rudder Trim Centre" to over-ride it, and fix it.

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_Flying 29.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_Flying 28.jpg

 

At altitude the sounds are very good, but still sound the same in the cabin as in the cockpit, but I do really love the excellent in flight hum. Annoying is the fact that the Magknight B787 is so really good now in the cockpit, as this place is now a seriously nice place to be, it looks and feels excellent, but still slightly a hybrid of two completely different system philosophies.

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_Flying 32.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_Flying 33.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_Flying 34.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_Flying 35.jpg

 

The Great Southern Land

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_Flying 45.jpg

 

Adelaide (YPAD) and your purring along at 38,000ft, m87, and 370 nm out of Melbourne, it is a very, very nice place to be.

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_Flying 36.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_Flying 37.jpg

 

I am arriving in Perth via STAR BEVLY 5A, I found with the Laminar FMS, I had to fill in the BEVLY 5A STAR waypoints, there are six of them, but essential for a clean arrival...  If you go directly to HAIGH waypoint the turn is too tight to collect the Rwy IGD 21 ILS, and you will miss it, essential is the WOORA waypoint before HAIGH, to soften out the turn. I can now also reset my arrival details in the EFB - Performance-Landing page, crucial is your landing weight, you will need to evaluate the weight perfectly, as it makes a difference. (hint you can use the LAW on Simbrief, but there is still the need to doublecheck with your current weight)...  and then CALC for your landing speed (here 142 knts F30º).

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_Flying 38.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Flying 20.jpg

 

Loving the ACARS report for YPPH (below), very handy.

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_Flying 39.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_Flying 40.jpg

 

Controlling the speed and height coming into YPPH from the north is again essential, as you arrive there is a 3000 ft ridge that is part of the Julimar State Forest, go too low and you fly into the ground, but be too high and you could miss the ILS as well, so I am set seriously slow at 190 knts at 5000 ft to clear it.

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_PER 1.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_PER 2.jpg

 

Altitude has to be 3000 ft at WOORA, then down to 2500ft (or more) for HAIGH...

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_PER 3.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_PER 4.jpg

 

You have to be a whole situation ahead of the aircraft, gear down early and the flaps set early as well, and control that speed with skill.

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_PER 5.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_PER 6.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_PER 7.jpg

 

It is a very tense arrival!

 

Once through HAIGH, you are already straight into the IGD 21 ILS, so hit the APP as soon as you can, being below the glideslope (2500ft) can give you more time to react, but even then it is very tight. Cross wind is nasty, but normal... 

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_PER 8.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_PER 9.jpg

 

... unlike back earlier at my arrival at MEL...  Whoopsy Daisy

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_Flying 28.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Flying 29.jpg

B7879 - 1.6.0_Flying 30.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Flying 32.jpg

 

That arrival didn't feel at all normal, but I will admit that I still think the Magknight B787 does slightly over react in thrust and and wind gusts

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_PER 10.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_PER 11.jpg

 

 Dreamliners land really sloooow at here in PER at only a 138kts... 

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_PER 13.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_PER 14.jpg

 

 

"touch" is good, but you do have the interesting aspect of the rudder in not being connected to the nosewheel, so you can adjust the aircraft's angle, but don't have the fear of the aircraft swinging sideways when the nose gear grips as it is still pointing straight. That said, the way you have to input your joystick is extremely different than the way your brain is so used to doing it, so it takes time to adjust to the new way under your stick movements, but I found with (a lot) of practise it works very well once you are used to it (the need to reprogammed your brain), in fact I like it a lot, and think a lot of other developers should look at the idea, but it is all very weird at first, and also makes for some pretty hairy takeoff and landings.

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_PER 15.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_PER 16.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_PER 17.jpg

 

 

 "Welcome to Perth"

 

But let us be clear, the aircraft is still slightly buggy because it is still really a hybrid, part Planemaker and part plugin, and that won't be fixed until Magknight has updated the Flight Management System to a fully customised unit, so you need a lot of time to get used to the aircraft foibles and the odd things it throws at you, but clean flights can be achieved and in that with all respect with the aircraft, I find is highly rewarding. One other note, is that both the Save or Load of a "Situation" or "Replay" does not work, which is highly annoying, if you use a "Replay" while still in your current flight the recorded replay will work, but close the flight and exit X-Plane, then your replay is gone?

 

I noted lastly in the earlier review...

 

"I record my reviews directly from the flight I have in the simulator, good or bad. What I detail here is how the simulation unfolded in front of me, so I am hiding nothing from you...  so the question has to asked. Did I have a bad download of the aircraft?, did I set up the aircraft wrong? and am I really missing something fundamental in the way that I am using the Autopilot? all good questions, but I did do a quick test flight the day before (I always do a quick recollection flight to reset me into the aircraft) and the B787 was quite a handful then also."

 

Well it was not a bad download, but getting the settings perfectly correct is absolutely essential. Not just the obvious, but in every single area and mostly the filling out of the  EFB in "Aircraft Configuration" and "Performance" is again essential, and setting up your Trim (certainly the TO Trim) is also highly important point. Areas cross-reference in this aircraft, so if one area is not correct, it affects another area as the EFB is basically a default FMC for perfomance in disguise... so the manta is do "everything", cover "everything" and the aircraft will work well.

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_PER 20.jpgB7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_PER 19.jpg

 

B7879 - 1.6.0_Revise_PER 21.jpg

__________________________

 

Summary

This is the ongoing development of the Boeing 787-900 from Magknight. It started out as a basic freeware version, then became a payware, and now a pro-payware. You accept with the purchase that the aircraft is still in an on-going development format, this is v1.6.0.

 

This v1.6.0 update focuses on (again) a new cockpit redesign, with far better textures, PBR and better switchgear. Lighting has also been highly upgraded. EFB - The side Electronic Flight Bags have also been mostly now finished off from their "in development" early stages, and the results are excellent with great weight/loading features, performance calculations and other new features added and in areas like the crew baggage and galley loading weights are all very clever. Overall the aircraft designwise now is excellent...  but

 

I expected a big step forward in performance, flight dynamics and even by now a replacement for the default MAP screens and basic X-Plane FMC systems... But that aspect is still coming, and with the now coming FlightFactor Boeing 787 Dreamliner Pro...  they are now also running out of time to fix it and the FMC (and the PFD/MFD) needs to be their only priority in new features. Noted is the fuel consumption is still a little out, far better than earlier, but still not burning enough fuel to the Simbrief numbers.

 

Getting every setting correct is now essential, note the Trim settings and aircraft set up settings have to be perfect, also the feature of using the Roll as a way of moving your nosewheel steering, odd at first it has a lot of bonuses once you master it, the old Yaw for steering is also still there, but in this aircraft it actually works against you.

 

This is an update on the original early October (5th, 2020) review, I was not impressed the first time around with the flying aspects of the aircraft, but I felt that Magknight and their team deserved a better review and better overall reflection of the aircraft. But more so than that is the fact that the B787 needed a more deeper understanding of how it really is as a aircraft.... it is buggy, it does have foibles and to a point you have to fly around those aspects because it is an aircraft still in development, but overall it does deliver an interesting if highly enjoyable simulation, it requires work and patience, but that is also rewarded if you are willing to do the depth of work the aircraft requires, the pactice it requires, and so it is not an easy aircraft to set up and fly, but it is highly rewarding.

______________________________________________________________________

 

X-Plane Store logo sm.jpg

 

Yes! the Boeing 787-900 Aviator Edition Dreamliner v1.6.0 by Magknight is available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :

 

B787-9 Aviator Edition

 

Price is US$44.95

 

Upgrade cost to the "Aviator Edition" from the original payware release version is US$10, see your X-Plane.OrgStore account for the upgrade.

 

Features

General

  • Brand new flight model built for X-Plane 11.40 and 11.50+
  • Improved wingflex
  • Custom IRS simulation, with quick align
  • Auto-update for the lifetime of X-Plane 11
  • LED exterior lights
  • Pause at top of descent and jump to waypoint
  • 3D cabin

New: Next-Generation Cockpit

  • Comprehensive cockpit lighting options
  • High resolution textures with PBR throughout the cockpit and cabin
  • Optional tinted cockpit and cabin windows
  • Realistic Panel dimensions

New: Integrated EFB

  • Comprehensive weight and balance calculator, with per-livery cabin configurations
  • Takeoff and landing performance calculators

Multiple engine choices

  • Choose from the mainstay GE engines, or the new experimental RR engines
  • Each engine has different flight characteristics

Custom flight controls

  • 5-setting autobrakes with RTO capability
  • Dynamic flap timing and order
  • Roll spoilers based on speed and wingforce
  • Surface droop on hydraulics loss
  • Surface fadeout by speed

Hoppie ACARS intergration

  • Intergration with the Hoppie ACARS network
  • Allows uplink of pre-departure clearances and weather information

FMOD soundpack by audiobirdXP

  • Fully custom FMOD soundpack for the GENx engines
  • Extensive integration with systems
  • Cockpit switch and button sounds

3D cabin and fuselage

  • Ground-up exterior fuselage model including optional tinted windows
  • 3D cabin with optional seating
  • Cabin is optional, configurable in EFB for performance

Liveries

  • Blank livery included by default
  • Other liveries available at https://magknight.org/liveries
  • Liveries from before 1.4.0 are not be compatible due to change of engine and fuselage models

Auto-Updater

  • Uses the Skunkcraft Updater for Automatic updates

 

Requirements:

X-Plane 11 Fully updated

Windows, Mac or Linux
4GB VRAM Minimum - 8GB+ VRAM recommended
Current and Review version : 1.6.0 (September 23rd 2020)
 

Installation : Download is 587.30mb which is unzipped and is inserted in your Heavy Aircraft  folder as a 1.91gb folder

Note: liveries are not included, but can be download... only v1.5+ liveries will now work with this aircraft

 

Documentation : Manual (partly completed?)

 

Simbrief and Navigraph are highly recommended with this aircraft.

 

v1.6.0 changelog (attached)

B7879 - 1.6.0_Changelog.txt

 

______________________________________________________________________

Review by Stephen Dutton

17th November 2020

Copyright©2020: X-Plane Reviews

  

(Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions)
 

Review System Specifications:

Computer System: Windows  - Intel Core i7 6700K CPU 4.00GHz / 64bit - 16 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - ASUS GeForce GTX 1080 8Gb - Samsung Evo 1Tb SSD 

Software:   - Windows 10 - X-Plane 11.30b2 (aircraft will only fly in 11.30)

Addons: Saitek x56 Rhino Pro system Joystick and Throttle : Sound - Bose  Soundlink Mini

Plugins: Traffic Global - JustFlight-Traffic (X-Plane.OrgStore) US$52.99 : Global SFD plugin US$30.00 : Scenery Animation Manager - Suite 2.0 - Free : BetterPushBack - Free

Scenery or Aircraft

- YMML Melbourne 1.01 by ISDG (X-Plane.Org) - Free

- YPPH - Perth International Airport by Axonos (X-Plane.Org) - US$22.65 -

 

Logo Header X-PlaneReviews 200px.jpg

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...
  • 6 months later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...