Dornier DO-27

By Brian Pit Murphy - 1st Oct 2007
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Greetings once again fellow flight simmers!!!!

I am very happy to have the opportunity to test out a very versital General Aviation aircraft for FSX!!!

This Aircraft is, I have to say is the absolute best General Aviation aircraft I have yet had the pleasure to test for MSFS IX or X. This is the Dornier DO-27 by Aerosoft!!!

First off if you get this aircraft… and I HIGHLY recommend it… READ THE MANUALS!!!! This product is delivered with a VERY, VERY good manual package.
It rivals those that Level D sims, PMDG, and Capt. Sim package with their products!!!

And IF you fly the DO-27 in realistic mode… you will need to fly it by the numbers, and follow the checklists, or you will get yourself into trouble pretty quick. This product follows the numbers VERY well!! I tested it through ALL of the V speeds and this aircraft holds pretty well to them. I tried various configurations and loads… including the skydiving (which is very unique and quite interesting)!!!

This aircraft is meant to be used in the virtual cockpit mode, but it has provisions for using in 2D mode as well if your system has problems with frame rates.

Ok Let’s start off once again with the Pros…

Very nice interior and exterior modeling looks very good!! You are given a decent variety of paint schemes… there is only one fictional with U.S. registration.
The manuals supplied were EXCEPTIONAL!!!
The knee board (not the Microsoft in sim one) is another unique slick feature.
Sound package is VERY good from all aspect angles!!
Handling is right on the numbers.

The external and internal looks of the A/C are very good!! As with AeroSelect Piper ArcherIII, I could not pick out any misaligned panel or rivet lines. All control surfaces have the correct range of travel. The external model was very nicely done!!! The eye candy available when on the ground is wonderful… to do certain things you need to have the pilot in or out of the aircraft, and you can even set up camp.

The Manuals… I can’t say enough about the included manuals. They are VERY detailed,
And from what I can tell, leave nothing out (this is something seldom seen for a flight sim)!! And most of them comes directly from a real manual.

The Knee Board… This is a VERY unique and in my opinion very nice touch!!! It is accessed in the virtual by clicking on the black lamp between the seats… and incorporates several features including opening and shutting the doors, getting the aircraft set up for engine start and flight, removing the pitot cover, even setting up. There are other items as well, but I don’t want to reveal ALL the surprises!!!

Skins… there are only a few packaged skins… one is a fictional skin in U.S. registration. But, what is included are nicely done.

Sound package… it is well done and engine sounds are good from all aspect angles.

Handling… Is right on the numbers. In realistic mode for all V speeds and configurations, CG (center of gravity) DOES vary with load, requiring adjustments in trim… Climb rates for various loads seem to be right on the money… take off speed also varies with the loads as well. All V speeds seem to be pretty accurate.

This is a VERY nice little airplane to go for an afternoon trip in. I flew it from Bozeman, Montana to Cut Bank, Montana… and then took a quick trip around the mountains surrounding Cut Bank. I wanted to see how the aircraft handled in higher altitude and
Mountainous areas. Simply, it is a VERY good bush plane!!! BUT, in realistic mode, you truly DO need to pay attention to what you are doing as far as prop control, oil temp and pressures, ect… if you do not… you WILL get yourself into trouble, and do so quite quickly!!!
Typically it is a pretty stable aircraft… if you do not keep attention to what you are doing, it WILL get out of hand pretty quick, as does the actual aircraft!!!

The Cons…

Like Aerosoft’s Piper Archer III, there really didn’t seem to be any!!! At least none that I uncovered, and I put it through it’s paces pretty well!!! In actuality, I could have written this review after the first week…. I have spent the last 2 weeks trying to find something that bugged me in the sim that the actual aircraft did or did not do… but alas, was unable to do so!!! But, I will most gladly continue to fly it and try to find something.

Honestly… I simply could not find anything to date, errant that the real plane does, or does not do.

I am VERY happy with this aircraft and I must say I give it absolutely top marks!!!!

Over all Rating: 10

DO-27 History
(Historical information obtained off of Wikipedia)

The Do 27 was developed from the Do 25, an aircraft originally designed to a Spanish military requirement for a light utility aircraft.
The Do 27 seated four to six and the original prototype first flew in Spain on 08 April 1955. Most production aircraft were built in Germany, the first taking flight on 17 October 1956. The remainder (50) were manufactured in Spain by Construcciones Aeronauticas as the CASA-127.
The German Luftwaffe and Army ordered a total of 428 of the Do 27A and Do 27B (with dual controls).
A later version with the same basic specifications but equipped with wider track landing gear was known as the Do 27Q-5. The aircraft was offered on twin floats as the Do 27S-1 and with a larger engine (340 hp Lycoming Engines GSO-480-B1B6) and a three-bladed propeller as the Do 27H-2.
In addition to the military operators in Germany and Spain, a few were manufactured for other military and civilian operators.
The Do 27 was notable for being the first mass-produced aircraft in Germany after World War II. It was appreciated for its relatively wide, comfortable cabin and excellent short-field performance.