Quote from a review regarding UT on flightsim.com below:"Before going to an airport, or setting up a flight plan, first adjust a couple of settings. For UT to work properly you must set AI traffic to 100%. I feared this would drastically reduce frame rates, but in fact it did not."Why must I set the traffic to 100%? What if I don't want it set to 100%? What happens then?

You simply don't get all the traffic. It works just fine. I used to run it all the time at lower settings on my old computer.I really like UT, and though over time I have started replacing some of the models and paints that came with it, it is still a very impressive product "right out of the box". It is definetly in my top five add ons.Tony

What about framerates with UT? This is one of the main reasons I want to go with the AIAardvark models but there doesn't seem to be an east "heres how to install a plane with a route, etc" type of cookbook installation...

I don't think you will have much trouble with frame rates on your rig. That said, a good place to start for learning to change to other models like the Aardvarks is http://www.john-goodwin.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/I just started one plane at a time. It's not to bad once you get the hang of it. You basically install the replacement you want into your aircraft folder, fire up UT, choose the airline then plane you want to replace, and click on the replacement in a drop-down menue. After you make the changes you want, just click compile and UT does the rest. I am oversimplifying, but the basic concept is about that simple.Flight1 does have a 30 day money back guarantee, but I bet you won't need your money back once you try UT.Tony

CavemanI'd agree with the above comments. You can't go wrong with UT. I have the same CPU as you and frame rates are not a problem. I usually have it on 100% when I'm flying to and from small regional airports, where there's not that much traffic anyway. On the other hand if I'm at, say, Heathrow I may play with the settings a bit, especially if I'm in a complex aircraft - but even on 70% it's perfectly flyable. You can simply pause the sim and set whatever level of traffic you want, at any time you like.Beware though, once you start downloading repaints for obscure airlines you'll get hooked!Ian

UT is a great starter, but more than likely you will learn how to download plans and airplanes and assign them all yourself. You can make it more organized since you are doing it all. Sure it takes forever and a day, right now after a new computer and a new fs9 install I got a great jump on summer plans. With UT, you are hunting down repaints anyway since a lot are missing, and their models leave a lot to be desired, paint and frame wise. But it is an easy way to see traffic and enjoy bringing flight sim one step closer to almost being there

I have UT - but don't use it anymore, I always fly on Vatsim now so I have no need for AI. It does take a hit on your performance - as any AI addon will, even the default AI does. If you're going to get any AI package UT is the one to get though (I also have my traffic 2004 v2 - really dont' like it, models look aweful, poor interface, though it does have military and more ga).

I consider UT essential for FS. Between it, and Active Sky, I think both are needed to complete the environment. One thing is that you should also download the AFCAD editor. I have found that it is necessary to tweak the airports to get things to work best. I start by downloading an airport from Project AI. The major tweak I do is to assign TO and Landing runways if the airport has parallel runways. IT really helps the traffic flow and is more realistic than the crossing runways solution. Besides it's a fun little skill to have. Mike

The AFCAD tweaks can be helpful - but you don't need them to fully enjoy the product. It can be fun to do though.

Get it !! You won't be dissapointedRgsEd

Only problem I can see by not setting traffic to 100% is that some of the features of UT, such as the flight board, will list arriving and departing aircraft that don't show in the sim.Matt

So... It sounds as though UT is basically using the same method that one might manually do with PAI or AIAardvark, etc but puts it in one nice, neat package for convenience...So... It would appear UT makes an excellent baseline to start from to get all the planes and afcads and flight plans in place that would take months of downloading/file searching to do...Then... As a matter of "polishing things up", I could go back and replace the planes one by one if I wanted to use the more detailed yet more fps-friendly AIAardvark planes, etc to just "tweak" UT.Do I have this right??? Am I understanding correctly?

If you go the UT route, I'd drop the major cargo carriers in it as their flightplans are very weak. Install cargo flights from PAI and other download libs.As an example I replaced FedEx, UPS, and DHL/Airborne because Minneapolis, my "home base" which is a major cargo stop, was left out. Just leave those out of the UT compile and then install them independently since FS9 can have multiple trafficxxx.bgls (although UT will warn about conflicts - ignore it if you drop the conflicting plans from UT).Also consider replacing the UT supplied afcads with PAI or independents because the UT supplied ones do not have airline parking assignments.

Are these "details" out there in one central spot, or am I forced into enless hours perusing forums to come up with the right answers/details...???

'So... It sounds as though UT is basically using the same method that one might manually do with PAI or AIAardvark, etc but puts it in one nice, neat package for convenience...So... It would appear UT makes an excellent baseline to start from to get all the planes and afcads and flight plans in place that would take months of downloading/file searching to do...Then... As a matter of "polishing things up", I could go back and replace the planes one by one if I wanted to use the more detailed yet more fps-friendly AIAardvark planes, etc to just "tweak" UT.Do I have this right??? Am I understanding correctly?"Yup, that is how I use it. Don't get all caught up in changing schedules and everything yet, unless you are that much of a detail freak. That said, you can always change it if you want to.What "details" are you referring to?Tony