Do any FSX apps require SQL Server? I noticed I had a sqlservr.exe process running and it takes up quite a bit of memory. I'd like to completely delete it if I could.

Couldn't imagine it. Go into Services and shut it down and see if anything else on your system complains.

I'd also say it's not required. I do web development during the day and always shut down all that sort of stuff before firing up FSX.

Any tie you install one of the "Visual" tools - Visual Basic, Visual C, Visual C++ or C# - MS will install the SQL Server. Unless you are into developing Oracle or other database management apps, you ain't gonna need it.. BUT - like the man says - prevent it from starting through Services, or via msconfig, just to be on the safe side. Whatever needed it will quickly squawk if it's missing!.