Alright, so I broke down and bought it. I had a blast with 2K2, but after all my AFCAD and TTool work (way tooooo many hours), my hard drive died, so I decided to check out FS9. I've had it 3 days now.Clouds are cool, but also ridiculous. Default fair weather clouds in the desert way too low, and they appear even when I've checked cloudless skies. What's with that? ATC seems OK.I can't make the FS Painter A319, A320, and A321 appear in the "select a plane." Is this a known problem? No matter what I do or get (new fde and cfg.) those suckers won't show.If I can't make my AI bountiful and varied, like I had with 2K2, I'll be very disappointed. Is there a v2 of the model that works in FS9?Has anyone come across I nice WW2 twin bomber with vc? There was a fun A26 that worked nice in 2K2. It was an FSDS model adapted for use with FS2K2. Alas, it won't work well in FS9.The Garmin GPS unit is worthless!. Give me back the old one. At least I could read it.I'm hoping to grow to like FS9. But as it stands now, the new stuff in FS9 doesn't seem to be enough to make me a convert yet.Any thoughts or advice??ThanksRick

Hi Rick,In order for old stuff to work in FS9, it has to either be updated or simply compatible with FS9. If they don't appear in the FS9, it's probably due to compatibility. Check for updates!Anyway, I was big FS2002 fan, but I can't imagine now to go back to 2k2. No way, never again!You got check for the stuff people use in FS9. Like PMDG, Flight1, various addons like UK2000 or Simflyers, Megascenery. All those things, so people say, rock. I own myself only PMDG and have bunch of freeware addons (check Bluesphere!), which also are great!And concerning GPS, you need to get some real planes, mate : =) PMDG! :)

If you don't want the clouds to appear after you set a clear day, start FS2004, select Settings, select Weather, slide the "Rate at which the weather changes over time" to the left (NONE). Check the appropiate boxes above for Winds Aloft, etc, then OK.If you want to start with Clear skies vice a different weather theme, select Create a Flight, select the Weather button, change the theme, OK, then save the flight as your default flight. Note: make other changes to this flight if desired before saving the flight as the default flight.W. Sieffert

>I can't make the FS Painter A319, A320, and A321 appear in the>"select a plane." Is this a known problem? No matter what I do>or get (new fde and cfg.) those suckers won't show.>If I can't make my AI bountiful and varied, like I had with>2K2, I'll be very disappointed. AI planes won't show up in the "select a plane" dialog since they're not user-flyable. This doesn't mean they can't be used as ai planes...i think that's what you're asking. Visit www.projectai.com for all your ai/afcad needs! You can have ABUNDANT AI in fs9.>The Garmin GPS unit is worthless!. Give me back the old one.>At least I could read it.Agreed. It was a nice try by MS, but I bought the RXP garmin and love it. dollar for dollar, my best FS purchase ever.

Greetings, Rick.When I first switched to FS9, I too, had a problem with the new GPS. But be patient, it does grow on you.MAAM's B25 "Briefing Time" is one of the best aircraft produced for FS9 and the money raised goes to a good cause. But, if you don't want to spend any $$$, K. Malinowski and J. McDaniel made a very nice JU88 for CFS2 that works fine for me in FS9. Also, the Groundcrew Design Group made a lovely HE111 for CFS2 that also holds up very well in FS9. Both have V.C.'s and are at simviation.com. - Matt D.

Thanks for the attention to my post, folks!Regarding the FS Painter AI problems. I goofed on this one. I simply added the new FS9 cfg and fde files but failed to properly rename the "sim=" line in the cfg file. I just overlooked that and frustration set in. All AI installed to this date works.I still grapple with the GPS, but I suppose if it can't be supplanted by the FS2K2 design, I'll just have to live with it.The JU-88 and the B-25 sound like a good idea. I'll look for them.Thanks Everyone.Funny how Flight Simmin' can become so comfortable in one version, and sometimes intimidating in the new. ThanksRick

<>I second and third that!!(lol)