So far I've played with the F1 Super-80, F1 ATR72-500 and the Wilco/Feelthere Legacy.By FAR the best quick start-up guide I've seen has been the one supplied with the Legacy. I was able to be aloft with correct start up procedures in under 10 minutes from a dark and cold ac.Why can't F1 just give us a quick start ("click here, then here, then here") instead of requiring an hour of reading before starting the damned engines? I know that some of you hanker for the "real deal" but short of starting with engines running it shouldn't take me 3 hours to read through shotty start up tutorials just to get airborne. I really really really want to like the ATR and the Super 80, but I can't seem to get over the steep learning curve hump required to play with them.

Do you insist on starting the engines? I'm not too concerned about the engine start process, so I usually just load my planes running. Once and a while it's fun, but mostly I just want to simulate the real world procedures from take-off to landing. Either way, you can find short tutorials and checklists on Avsim's file library and other places if you look. If you go to the ATR dedicated forum, you'll find a great ATR checklist that should help a great deal with each step. http://atr.flight1.net/forums/default.aspThe ATR is really so simple once you are ready to taxi. You don't even touch the overhead unless you need anti-ice, and of course to switch lights on/off. All you do in most of these planes is program the FMC, set the AP up, turn a few things on or off and go. I'm telling you, once you do it once or twice it's easy as can be. The only part I can see really forgetting after a period away is the start procedure.ATR Checklist - Link to Avsim is here: http://atr.flight1.net/forums/forum_posts.asp?TID=1942&PN=1

Both the MD80 and ATR require complicated start up procedure for Cold dark, depending on how much realism you want you can configure the airplanes startup condition in the config utility. 99% of real word commercial aircraft are pretty well ready for startup before the crew arrives. Dave FisherCYYZP4 Prescott 3.2e 478p 800mhz 1mg CPUP4P800SE Asus Motherboard2.5 gig PC3200 DDR RAM 400MHZGeForce 7600GT/512 OC'dMaxtor 80 Gig ATA 133 HD x2WDC WD800 80 Gig HDAntec 500watt true powerSharp 19 inch LCD MonitorSaitek AV8R-01 Joystickhttp://fs2crew.com/linepilot.jpg

I don't have the Super 80 from Flight 1, but I do have the Maddog 2006 from Leonardo, and I find it's actually pretty easy to start up, and it requires it I think. IIRC, it doesn't like to load with the engines on, although I haven't installed it yet on this new system, so I can't remember for sure. I find the Maddog (MD-82) from Leonardo, with the exception of the lack of VC, to be very good at simulating a lot of systems. To be honest, a lot of the start up in the MD is just pressing test switches, and you can skip those if you're in a hurry to get off the ground. Now, the ATR is a different story. I've only had the desire to start it up once and the fact you can do it more than one way is confusing IMO. I don't think it was that bad, but perhaps worse than the others I own. The overhead on the ATR, as with most turboprops, is very busy and intimidating to look at.I like to think of myself as the captian and the FO has done all the start up for me. :( I try to fly as realistic as possible, by the numbers, but what happens at the gate isn't that exciting.I say just open the ATR configuration manager and set it to "Ready to Taxi", then have fun! If the Super 80 can be loaded running, then do it that way too. At least you can focus on the flying part and learning all those systems, then decide if you want to learn the rest later. No matter what though, you'll need to set up all planes for taxi and takeoff. Things like your lights, FMC or GPS, flaps, and autopilot will have to be configured properly. Also, trim the aircraft to get off the ground properly and avoid alarms. Remember to set your transponder code and turn it on ALT, plus set your TCAS to RA/TA. The ATR will turn your TCAS on automatically when you set your transponder to ALT or ON.These add-ons are nothing like the default aircraft and are meant to simulate the real thing as much as possible, so they're always going to have a learning curve you can't avoid.