This is going to sound silly, speshally cos Ive been messing around with FS since 2001 so I should know - but do GA aircraft have to follow Sids and Stars, bearing in mind a little Cessna´s (for example) speed and height limitations?

not if your flying VFR.

If you are flying VFR through a Class B control zone you may need to fly a part of a SID or STAR but at a non-conflicting altitude with faster traffic to get clearance. You need to check if a VFR corridor is established for that area to keep you out of the way of the big guys.Note that SIDs and STARs cover not just the departure or destination but also airports in that area as shown on the charts. Some are for high altitude airways merging and others for the low altitude airways merging points.Rules vary by jurisdiction as well.

Rules vary by jurisdiction as well.

Quite a bit I might add,I have never had to fly a SID or STAR VFR here in Canada, There may be VFR procedures set out in a CFS or something(and this I have had to follow), but technically you dont need to follow an Standard Instrument Departure, just the VFR procedure set out for VFR aircraft as published.chances are if VFR you wont get a clearance to follow a SID, as you may not even have the charts on board as it is not mandatory if not flying IFR, but an ATC may vector you following the published SID, and you may not even know that you have just flown the published SID as it may have just been vectors and altitude restrictions.hence the name standard "INSTRUMENT" departure.Again rules vary by Country.P.S but upon re readin your original question, you only state GA aircraft, and if you are GA IFR, then you will have to follow a SID, unless leared otherwise by ATC. On a sid there should be a section for "jet aircraft" and a little section for "Non-jet Aircraft", so you would follow the appropriate section, in GA case the non-jet aircraft section :)

Edited January 28, 201214 yr by flyinpilot212121

I see now that it depends on a lot of factors - primarily me - IFR or VFR.Asked cos I have just dusted off a couple of smaller planes that were at the back of the cupboard and installed some nice low & slow sceneries (Flightzone Portland , Victoria Plus CYYV) and the like and am going to see if I can remember how to flow VORs.many thanks

http://www.stoenworks.com/Aviation%20home%20page.html has good tutorials especially GA. You'll find the navigation info you'll need well illustrated.