Yesteday Randy was kind enough to supply me with a link to PIC/POSKY merge files, which I promptly downloaded. Inspired by the success, I ventured on a downloading spree eventually ending up with 324MB of zipped files on my HD. Was I proud of myself or wot :)For the positive side of things: The merge files worked, once I got my head around it, and all my POSKY aircraft now behaves like PIC. Frame rates went up, up, up. The pride went with the frame rates, it should be added. I recently received London Airports, where LHR especially is rather impressive. Well, being on a roll I proceeded to install AI Traffic and went ahead changing all AI flights to "real" flights, using POSKY 767s, MelJet 747s, DF 737s etc etc. Some of you will already be laughing, but at the time I felt like I was winning and Bill Gates was loosing. Started up FS, went to LHR and the frame rate was well north. In fact, the frame rates was so bad I almost cried. Yes it was nice to hear "Speedbird", "United", "Scandinavian", "Varig", "Virgin" on ATC rather than "Soar", "Emerald" and the usual FS crap airlines, but not at the expense of frame rates. Couldn't even get airborne, it was that bad.And this is where the supervision part comes in. I should have known better, should probably have called my IT guru and asked for his help or at least asked on this here board. Alas, that was not the way it went. So now my favourite airports (yeah, also did it for EWR, AMS, LGW, MCO, FCO, LAX, FRA, CDG, HKG, BKK and ATL) are useless due to poor frame rates. Now I could go back and change all the AI back to default FS, but would like to know if some downloadable "real life" aircraft would actually work as AI without dropping frame rates drastically. Since these are the only airports I fly to and from, as I have add-on scenery for them, I'm basically grounded.In other words .................. help.

You're going about this entirely the wrong way and soon your computer will simply come to a screeching halt. But there's a very simple solution to your problem; go to http://www.projectai.com/downloads/official/installers.asp and you'll find most of what you're looking for....great aircraft that don't tax your frame rates, realistic flightplans, wide variety of liveries, etc.But be careful; this stuff is very addictive.

OR you can try these guys out. I have it myself and let me say that I see no frame rate loss but do see wonderful looking aircraft all around me. My UAL gate never looked so wonderful. You must learn how to "tweak settings" but hey it's worth it huh? http://www.simmarket.com/online/mytraffic/Best Wishes,Randy Smith

You should point out that My Traffic models are borrowed from Project AI. So you're essentially paying for something you could download for free.Plus if he's gonna tweak settings, might as well learn a bit how the AI works; it's really not difficult and there are many helpful tools like TTools, AFCAD, and AITM out there.

With all due respect, but to have as much traffic as you have with Mytraffic you could easily spend a year installing all required components, i.e: aircraft repaints, flight plans, overlays to name a few. Mytraffic is a peace-of-mind version for people who prefer to fly, not to play with files.It is true, that Mytraffic team incorporated PAI models into their program, but did it with their generous approval. I even saw a post in one of the forums, where one of PAI lead developers supported Mytraffic.Just my two cents worthDomMy system specs:AMD Athlon 1.2GhzASUS A7V133 200Mhz512MB SDRAMnVidia GF3 Ti200 (running on 40.72)Sony Trinitron 19'CH Yoke USB + CH Pro Pedals http://hifi.avsim.net/activesky/images/wxrebeta.jpg

Here's what I do.......and a lot of people would definitely not agree with this.I have an afcad file for KMIA which clumps at least 60 aircraft in a small area...the default terminal buldings.... I have a lot of AA, DAL, UAL...etc.It looks great.......some of them are repaints of the default 737, 777, 747, etc. However, on final, the frame rates are at best 4.The compromise? When on final, you cannot see the aircraft at the terminals....so this is what I do. In the display menu, under aircraft, I turn reflections off, and and aircraft texture size to small. Frame rates shoot up to 15. I do a perfect landing and taxi to the gate. The AI aircraft look horrible with such a small texture size...(actually, the decals look terrible). So, as soon as I park, I turn the texture sizes back to "massive" then I can pan (or slide show) around and take screen shots at 4fps. No problem.That's the compromise I make.The nice thing is that when you change the texture size of the aircraft in the menu, FS does not have to reload the scenery textures etc....because you did not change scenery display. So when you change the aircraft texture size and click "ok" you are immediately back in the cockpit....FS doesn't bring up the slider and load up stuff like it does when you for example change the time of day.Lagaz.

MyTraffic vs PAI is basically a quantity vs quality issue. With MyTraffic, you get it all done, instantly, but it is not as real as doing it with PAI. With PAI, it takes more work and understanding of the AI process, but the results can be extremely realistic. Of course, if you don't know enough or don't care enough about what is realistic or not, then of course the lesser level of MyTraffic will be perfectly satisfying, just as those who don't know enough or don't care enough feel Orbit and Soar can be perfectly satisfying versus having to see United or American as traffic. Or even being happy with the default 737 and being happy with flying the 767PIC. It's all a matter of what level of realism brings you personal satisfaction.

Or,,,You could you could forget all about AI and fly on VATSIM all of the time. The quality of the aircraft textures will not be as good but the ones you do see are being driven by clowns just like me, and Rob, Ian E, Murf, Dan, Bill, Stiff, Lee, Vulcan, Gregg, Steve,,,, and few hundred other regulars. :-abduct

LoL,Hey Mike,If we could only see you as an American Airlines 767 vs. a USAirways 767, then I'd be at peace with Squawkbox and CSL! :)But if I remember, you were investigating and new source to replace the CSL shapes, 'cause I now see you as a replica of my plane...indicating that your target is not using a CSL bird.Maybe one day when the real world will stop interfering with my alter-ego, we can work it out! :)I'll try to get up on VATSIM more now that a huge project I was woking on is drawing to to close. Of course, you guys might have to teach me how to fly the 767 again! Let's see...pull the yoke-thingie to back go up, push it forward to see the ground better...yeah...now I remember! :DRegards,Steve Dra

Steve,, and all others who use VATSIMA number of us are now using the VIP2 addon to the CSL file. VIP adds another aircraft directory to FS2002 containing many missing liveries (including AAL). It also provides a different CSL file for squawkbox that utilizes both the currently used CSL models that users select when filing their flight plans along with the new liveries that are supplied with VIP. Go here http://home.att.ne.jp/green/Jun02/JWS/ Click on the word "English" on the left panel for a better description of VIP including the pros and cons of using it. I highly recommend it and I know of no one who went to VIP that has gone back to the stock CSL file.(looks like their download server is down at this moment though)

This is what i've been working up to Mike. I have been flying some routes and making sure I don't make a fool out of myself before logging on to Vatsim. A dear friend who flys on Vatsim has really been a great help in this regard. It's amazing that there are not more people who are using this incredible service, to be sure there are alot of things to learn, but in the end its all worth it. Best Wishes, Randy Smith

Hi Mike:I would like to know more about this VIP2 thingie after reading the link. It has been so long since I installed SB that I cannot recall how I did it. Didn't the CSL library stuff come with SB? So to use VIP2 can I just install it as instructed or do I need to do something else with the CSL files/libraries?Damon

Damon,IIRC just install it as instructed, it is a while since I did it but I don't remember it being rocket science :-) As Mike says it brings a whole new raft of liveries and better looking aircraft, there is even an option to include VA liveries.HTH

hmmm...I got a password but when I click on the link "download VIP2 I just get a black page inside the frames with no text or anything. Any ideas?Damon

>hmmm... >>I got a password but when I click on the link "download VIP2 >I just get a black page inside the frames with no text or >anything. Any ideas? >>Damon Sorry, can't help.Last time I visited the site there was no need to register AFAIR, if there was then I don't have a clue what *my* details are :-)