FS9 will probably go down in history as one of the most well loved flying simulations of all time!!Like everyone else here, I was an avid FS9 simmer for about 5 solid years. Unfortunatley at that time I didn't have a good enough computer that let me run it full out, but none the less, I enjoyed it all the same. Plus I enjoyed the abundent amount of freeware available for download.It wasn't until I got the PMDG 737 and FlyTampa's St. Maarten package that really got me hooked. I still remember the first time flying around TNCM and how amazed I was by that scenery. Then once I added the PMDG 737 to the mix I was in a whole new world. I remember when FSX was announced. The forums were buzzing again, kind of like they are now with Flight on the horizon, although it seemed like FSX caused more of a stir then, than Flight is causing now. I still remember downloading the FSX demo and installing it only to find that it just about locked up my computer at the time :( Once I had that wonderful experience, I was convinced that I would NEVER get FSX, or at least not until I was the owner of a super computer.Finally built a new rig for FS9 in '08 and was eager to reload and experience FS9 to its fullest. I was all set to go with FS9 again until another fellow convinced me to give FSX another shot. After some resistance I decide to give it a shot and I ended up sticking with it and have been one of the "few" lucky ones, or so it seems, who somehow ended up with just the right combination of elements to run it with no problems and at a farily high level. Luckly, I had never spent that much on FS9 addons so switching for me wasn't financially a big committment to start over. I will say though, in the early days of FSX I did miss a lot of my FS9 sceneries and it really hasn't been until the last year or so that the 3PDs have finally started turning out a lot of nice addons for it.In a way it's too bad that FSX didn't end up being as user and equipment friendly as FS9 did. I mean you can pretty much install FS9 on any newer computer, load it with all kinds of scenery , AI, and user a/c and just about everyone can run it full out with minimal tweaks. Same can't be said for FSX. I've seen people with twice the computer I have, still struggle to get it to even work right or get 1/2 the FPS I get. Frankly, the only thing about FSX that I like more than FS9 is the ability to render higher res ground textures and I like the water a little more. Had it not been for that, I never would have switched in the first place, or if someone had found a way to crack some FS9 code that allowed it to render higher res ground texture, I would have stayed.Overall though, FS9 to this day has held up well considering how many years its been out. Every once in a while I will go into my backup drive and take a look at some old FS9 screen shots I took. Even this many years later when I see those pics, I can still remember the actual flight that I took them, and in some cases remember what the day was like that I took them.I think that for many of us old timers who have been in this hobby for a long time, even those of us who dont use FS9 anymore, we will always have fond memories of it, I know I will. Good times FS9 was and still is..good times!!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I too have both FS9 & FSX I ran FSX 3 or 4 times and just got so disgusted with it and it has gathered dust ever since (4 yrs or more) I just can't see ever using anything but FS9 no matter what comes down the pipe. Every month I look and find more to buy to enhance FS9 and I will continue to do that as long as there are addons to buy. Oh and new hardware addons to my cockpit too.............John

John,Why were you "so disgusted with" FSX when it came out? Was it poor performance on your PC, and if so, did you experience same when transitioning from FS8 to FS9? Was it that there wasn't enough of a difference between the versions to justify reinvesting on FSX? Regards,Dave Vega

John,Why were you "so disgusted with" FSX when it came out? Was it poor performance on your PC, and if so, did you experience same when transitioning from FS8 to FS9? Was it that there wasn't enough of a difference between the versions to justify reinvesting on FSX? Regards,Dave Vega

Yes, my old computer did struggled with Fs9 after moving from Fs2002 but it didn't make me pay much for the hardware changes like FSX is doing.

I've stuck with FS9 for one big reason - FS Navigator. I only fly online with VATSIM and use air-source.us for my routes. There is no add-on for FSX that I know of that combines a flexible flight planner that allows for instantaneous changes in routing, moving map with all aircraft within a 40nm radius clearly depicted (a primitive TCAS), climb/descent projections of target altitude - in general, a compact rendering of the flight environment I need for enjoyable online flying. I can't imagine a more exciting FS experience than approaching LAX or JFK during a fly-in with real world mentalities converging in a limited space where other real world mentalities attempt to control the various levels of ego, experience, and motivation. If you add bad WX to the mix, it's white-knuckle time. I fail to understand why MS didn't improve the default flight planner which is totally useless for its intended purpose; they had FS Navigator as a model and should have appreciated the utility of a multifunction flight planner. I've only found one FP for FSX - Super Flight Planner - but it fails to come close to matching the utility of FSNav. I'm sure there are profits for any designer who can produce something approximating FSNav for FSX and I'm not sure why somebody hasn't risen to the challenge.I like the environmental effects of FSX, especially the water effects, but wet, reflective tarmacs and runways or ripples on water aren't enough to convince me to abandon FS9.

I agree with 90% of the people on here. I just ordered a 1500.00 six core monstrosity just so I can run FSX. Of course I will use it for other stuff now that I have it but originally it was FSX that it was tailor made for. So yeah FSX is the 1550.00 dollar simulator in my opinion,

To summarize, most FS9 users who have invested a lot invested in this version do not see enough in any other small computer simulator to entice them to switch. Most in that same set would like developers to also not abandon FS9. MS Flight and X-Plane 10 are still in "marketing", too soon to tell what they will really offer. A new MS version or another sim would have to offer same basic features in FS9 plus:1. Silky smooth performance on medium to high configured computers2. A weather simulation catering to all types of FS users (GA, airliners, bush, etc.)3. A robust ATC simulation where ATC is aware of AI... configurable go-arounds (just like configuring random airplane failures), smart randomness (you're not told to climb to the next altitude at exactly 200 feet before reaching target altitude every time), aware of DP and STARs, data-updatable, (what else?)4. Real clouds5. What else?Regards,Dave Vega

Ah, always the good debate. Probably will never reach a conclusion to satisfy everyone. With my new "Simpit" I now have both installed. And can run both maxed out with good FPS. So now I can argue from either side of the fence, ha! I like them both for their strengths. I will be curious to see what MS Flight brings to the table. A bit premature, but I can't see myself leaving FSX on my PC if Flight is a hit. But I could see me still leaving my trusty ol' FS9 on there. Just too many good add-ons to discard. Time will tell...Clutch

Ooops!

The FS9 vs FSX debate is a big one and not one that I wish to start off.But recently I was thinking and to be honest, I can't ever see myself ceasing to be satisfied with what I do in FS9.I've spent a hell of a lot of money over the years on scenery, aircraft and various other add-on products to enjoy this hobby, and I'm now at a point where I have most of my favourite destinations in good quality thanks to add-on scenery, together with almost every commercial aircraft that I'm interested in. Okay there are varying degrees of quality on these add-ons, but I'm pretty much there.I only ever fly commercial airliners, not being very interested in general aviation. Thanks to the products I own I can fly any Airbus other than the A300/A310 and A380 and any Boeing from the 737-777. Add to that the MD-11, Embraer E170/190 and ATR 72-500 and I have a huge variety of choice when it comes to what metal I fly.The one think that would really make it complete for me is a top quality 777 for FS9. Other than that there is pretty much nothing else I crave for my sim. It would be nice to have a great A380 but I mostly do 1-4 hour flights anyway so that, and even the 777 would probably only get very little use in comparison to the other types I fly.So I'm a very happy simmer. I can see me being satisfied with this sim for a LONG time yet. Long live FS9!

I run both FS9 and FSX. I am really most satisfied with FS9. I just like the way it looks. It looks much more realistic and less cartoon like than FSX. I have both sims tricked out with add ons, but FS9 wins hands down. I am even thinking about taking FSX off my hard drive.