I now have fsx/acceleration installed and most everything works well. But, I would like to see and fly some of the FS9 planes that doesn't port over very well, or refuses to port over at all. Like Fravin's Cessna 150 for instance.I have ordered a new copy of FS9 and will have it early next week. 4 cds as I understand. Is there a list of updates someplace I can download to bring a virgin copy of FS9 up to date? Any advice? Cautions? Dos? Don'ts? Did MS ever produce a DEMO for FS9 like they did for fsx?Thanks.RayM

There was never a demo of FS9 to the extent of my knowledge but I started playing years after the release. If you want to bring the game up to date I suggest Ground Environment Pro, Real Environment X, Active Sky (6, Advanced, Evolution). Those will bring the graphics up to what is now called FS 9.75 the only thing you'll be missing from FSX is reflections and higher resolution ground textures (well maybe a few other things). Then the FS9 scenery and aircraft opportunities are enormous just remember that you can't use FSX sceneries or FSX aircraft. Hope you enjoy FS9 and what it has to offerAlex

Recommend you update to 9.1 from here >> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...76-618c4ab52aaf

Recommend you update to 9.1 from here >> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...76-618c4ab52aaf

Excellent. Thanks Vince.

I now have fsx/acceleration installed and most everything works well. But, I would like to see and fly some of the FS9 planes that doesn't port over very well, or refuses to port over at all. Like Fravin's Cessna 150 for instance.I have ordered a new copy of FS9 and will have it early next week. 4 cds as I understand. Is there a list of updates someplace I can download to bring a virgin copy of FS9 up to date? Any advice? Cautions? Dos? Don'ts? Did MS ever produce a DEMO for FS9 like they did for fsx?Thanks.RayM

If you want to start out with a simple environment upgrade, I created a set of environment bitmaps called "Soft Horizons" which reside in Avsim's file library. Several add-ons overwrite mine, but if you simply want to see how the FS9 environment can be modified please feel free to give my bitmaps a try. I felt the default FS9 sky did not resemble what I see in GA flight (or when I am flying as a passenger on a commercial flight). Soft Horizons was written to make the sky more realistic and I was so satisfied with what I had done I felt it worthy of an upload here.This set of screenshots gives some sense of what it does, although I apologize they were taken from a low altitude:http://forums1.avsim.net/index.php?showtopic=286494Here's a collection of shots that give more examples of the skyscapes Soft Horizons creates:http://s483.photobucket.com/albums/rr200/C...1_photos/FS2004Regards,John

If you want to start out with a simple environment upgrade, I created a set of environment bitmaps called "Soft Horizons" which reside in Avsim's file library. Several add-ons overwrite mine, but if you simply want to see how the FS9 environment can be modified please feel free to give my bitmaps a try. I felt the default FS9 sky did not resemble what I see in GA flight (or when I am flying as a passenger on a commercial flight). Soft Horizons was written to make the sky more realistic and I was so satisfied with what I had done I felt it worthy of an upload here.This set of screenshots gives some sense of what it does, although I apologize they were taken from a low altitude:http://forums1.avsim.net/index.php?showtopic=286494Here's a collection of shots that give more examples of the skyscapes Soft Horizons creates:http://s483.photobucket.com/albums/rr200/C...1_photos/FS2004Regards,John

Thanks John, I need to get the FS9 up and running. I took a look at the Photobucket album. . . lots of nice shots there. Thanks.RayM

After installing FS9 and the 9.1 Update you can also try the:High Definition Environment (HDE), v2.0from Pablo Diaz. I use it and it does a fantastic job with the clouds and sky, also theres an interesting bloom effect in there. Its available from the AVSIM Library:Download ID: 146315Filename: hdev2.zipLicense: FreewareAdded: 9th April 2010There's also a variety of payware to improve the ground textures, and most importantly 1000s of great freeware sceneries; lots of free accurate meshes, ground photoscenery and landclass files as well (and lets not forget the many fine aircraft add-ons).

I forgot about that little 150 freeware bird, thanks for reminding me, now to go reinstall it and fly a little xcountry trip.

You might want to give FS Elemental a look. For such an inexpensive package, it makes a massive difference to the way FS9 can look. The product website for it seems to be down by the way, but...Although the product site itself appears to be down, apparently you can still buy it, here for example: http://www.flightsimstore.com/product_info...products_id=928Al

Be sure to go get yourself Holger's Glacier Bay. Im not sure if it is compatible with fsx but I can tell you it is a must in the fs9 side of things :( P.S I'll vouch for those high def clouds from Pablo, a very great freeware package more than worthy of being payware.

Be sure to go get yourself Holger's Glacier Bay. Im not sure if it is compatible with fsx but I can tell you it is a must in the fs9 side of things :( P.S I'll vouch for those high def clouds from Pablo, a very great freeware package more than worthy of being payware.

Well, I have Holger's Glacier Bay v2 with the manual downloaded, got the HDE v2 downloaded; got the MS 9.1 update downloaded and now just waiting for the FS9 package to arrive. Thanks guys, anything else I can be doing as I wait.RayM