Guys,I'm at a total loss here about what to choose. I see that Ultimate Traffic is pretty easy to use, but doesn't have many repaints to choose from. I also see alot of people having problems with FPS on the PAI offerings.I love the quality of the Aardvark stuff, and the repaints are awesome, but (correct me if I'm wrong) I'm intimidated by the fact that you have to set up their stuff manually.Any opinions? I don't mind spending money if the quality is good and the FPS doesn't suffer too much...Thanks in advance for the opinions...

I use PAI on a 2.0 GHz system and don't feel that it is a frame rate hog. I run traffic at 67%. R-

I've used PAI and AI-Aardvark.The AI-Aardvark planes are easier on the frames, but they do require a fair bit of time to get set up and to periodically update. I used them for a while, but then when I was ready to expand my AI traffic the thought of going through all of the traffic set-up again was just overwhelming.PAI is a breeze to use. I'm very impressed by their install utility, and all I have to do is periodically check the site to see if there have been any new releases. I've installed every one of their packages, and every large airport I have visited has had some traffic.The fps hit will probably depend on your system. I've got a pretty powerful video card, so I've found that the penalty from traffic is more CPU dependent (for processing the movement of the planes) than it is from the sheer number of polygons.I'd recommend that you try PAI. You can start with a couple of packages for large US carriers (i.e. Southwest, Alaska, United) and then visit some of the hubs and see how it affects your performance. You can enable and disable the default traffic and the PAI traffic just be renaming the files, so you can do a quick test to see the before/after difference.A lot of people swear by Ultimate Traffic and their ilk. My understanding is that if you want very realistic schedules, that's the way to go. It's never been a big concern for me. I just want some activity around the airports.I'd also recommend GA-traffic (a free utility for creating GA flight plans) if you do any GA flying.

My friend Kyle runs PAI at like 85-88%, and there's planes everywhere! Is there a more 'realistic' amount to have that slider set at?

I been Using UT for a long Time: 100% for a fairly powerful system would be my suggestion.For those with machines under, lets say 3 Ghz, turning the Ai inside USA to 70-80 will give them a good sense of traffic, and save FPS.For machines with processors around the 2Ghz Mark a 40-50 in the US is good to see activity around big hubs.I have a 3.6 Ghz machine, I run UT at 100 all the time, EXCEPTFlying the PMDG into BIg hubs, Miami, New york Chicago LAX or Atlanta I turn it down to 80%.Other than that, and Outside USA I run it at 100%I run als GA Traffic at 100% with default AC, have yet to find some good GA for ai.**EDIT**For those who say that turning AI to 100% will delay TO: most of the big line of AC depart while I am doing my preflight preparations, When I am ready and taxi to the active I find only two, maybe three AC in front of me.For those who saay that UT at 100 will almost always turn into a series of go arounds - run overs by other Airplanes:1. Do not fly your cessna 182 into LAX (big Mistake)2. Most Big Irons have good TCAS -- USE IT!3. Request alternate Rwys, most Big terminals have an empty runway - approach just for you4. The most important: Plan your flight, Whenever I fly into a big Hub I see the arriving schedule for the airport and plan to put my AC between a Window of no more less than 30 min bettween arriving AC... I use AITM to confirm GMT Times and to check GA Traffic. (Isn't this done in the RW?). I've been using FS9 since the first day it was released, never had a mid air colision, or have to do a Go around.

AI traffic is the number one performance hog there is no way around that I am afraid. The more traffic the more performance you loose :).I have a 2,75 gig A64 and 100 % MYTRAFFIC 2004 severely punishes my frame rates :)I am quite vulnerable though because I am one of these people who can