I'm a lousy author with too little time to fly many longhaul missions so count me out.Got a 12 hour mission scheduled already for the weekend anyway, got to drive my VA hours up after a prolonged sabatical (I've dropped in the top 50 :) ).

Im interested in what 777 we get. If its the default one, then I have zero interest in this project. However if its a new one, with up to date graphics etc., then this could be cool.We'll see.Eric

MGH:Too funny, my thoughts exactly. All I can find is lots of hype on the new (real) aircraft, and NADA on the FS9 777-200LR. And right, the deadline is in 3 1/2 days. Whatever...http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:GuIf...omestead/imagesAlex ChristoffN562ZBaltimore, MD

I still have my doubts about the site being genuine, this is the only link from Microsoft I could find for FSInsider and it is still part of their FS2004 section. No mention of a 777 and only 4 days left to do everything with a plane that doesn't exist, using an invisible template, this aint gonna happen.

See http://blogs.msdn.com/tdragger/archive/200.../03/488736.aspx.

Where?In an earlier thread I explained how I'd phoned Microsoft's UK office who checked and told me that the site "is nothing to do with Microsoft". But of course, they're wrong.Some reasons for doubt about the site are:- The poor visual appearance. Compare it with other Microsoft sites- The absence of Miscrosoft or MS in the URL- The inappropriate Terms of Use. They are actually an AGREEMENT for using MSN websites and include "You represent that you are at least 18 years of age and have attained the age of majority in the province, state or country in which you reside...". So no one under the age of majority should use it. Compare there with the Terms of Use for Microsoft's main Flight Simulator site that are far more appropriate- The absence of any link to FSInsider from Microsoft's main Flight Simulator site- The absence of almost any original content. Almost all the links are eventually the same as on Microsoft's main Flight Simulator site - The link to the shop run by eCompanyStore without any indication that you are beng transferred to a non-Microsoft site.Reasons to doubt the 777 Challenge are:- It's now 19:45 GMT on the 3 November 2005 and yet nothing promised is yet available despite the deadline of 23:00 on 7 NovemberEDIT- There's no announcement of the "new" 777 on the main Microsoft Flight Simulator site-There's no address to send the entries to- There's no indication of when the result will be announced or what, the prize(s) are, if any.The conditions are generally meaningless:"To participate, you must:- Plan and execute a long distance/endurance flight to London/Heathrow airport."How long has a long distance/endurance flight to be? How do they check you've complied? "- Start anywhere based upon your global flight planning skills and knowledge of the 777-200LR Worldliner performance."How do they know you have based it on your "global flight planning skills and knowledge of the 777-200LR Worldliner performance" ? - "Fly your flight plan in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004: A Century of Flight."How will they know you've flown your flight plan? That's an interesting concept - fly the flight plan and not the aircraft! - "Capture your experience in an essay and submit your story to us.Why not just ignore the preceding requirements and write your essay? - "Complete your flight and submit your story by 2300 UTC, November 7th, 2005"Already dealt with.- "The winner will be selected from the best story

Boeing is involved? That's interesting....

Are they?There's no more than a link to a Boeing website. Nowhere on the site does it say Boeing is involved.

We have several full-time Microsoft engineers and support staff assigned to my company account (major public US corportation - not my personal company - I'm just a peon).I just asked our lead tech rep about this site.1. It's promoted internally within MS as one of their customer support sites.2. The site is maintained / run by Microsoft Game Studios - not Microsoft Corporation (Windows, Office, Exchange, etc.)3. Microsoft Game Studios "owns" Flight Simulator development, marketing and publishing, along with a lot of other games.4. Microsoft Game Studios is making a push to identify themselves as a gaming developer / company in their own right - not just a part of the big company.5. That identity creation is part of the reason behind the blogs - almost all gaming companies have similar development groups who maintain an informational but unofficial web presence for their customers. Microsoft sees it as a good marketing tool.I'll take his word for it. Since we pay a LOT of money - several times my annual salary - for MS Premier Support and Enterprise Licensing.Just wish I could use my Premier Support number for FS questions.

"The contest requires coordination with Boeing and so we aren't 100% in control of the timing"Read the blog.

As I understand it, there was less than two weeks between the announcement of the Challenge and the closing date. You'd have be pretty incompetent or stupid or both to make such an announcement with such a short timescale without being certain you had everything in place. Lets wait and see. It's now 20:30h on 3 November 2005 - 4 days to go and counting!EDIT:I can't find a link to FSInsider on the main Microsoft Fligh Simulator site. Only one to within the same site http://www.microsoft.com/games/flightsimulator/insider.asp Can you tell me where you found your link?

The solution is simple -- if you believe it, watch this thrad and the site and hope for the release of the aircraft -- which is what I am doing.If you don't believe it, just stop looking/posting here and move on with your flying **smiles** Obviously if this all bothers you somuch why are you following this thread so close when your simulator obviously awaits you?

The blog? That's an official Microsoft site is it?As I understand it the Challenge was launched about 2 weeks before the closing date. You have to be pretty incompetent or stupid to make such an announcement with such a short deadline without having everything in place. After all, whats the urgency about the 7 November closing date?

I stand rebuked. After all you are a Student Pilot - Cessna 172 and a proud AOPA member.EDITPS - You didn't tell me where there's a link on the main Flight Simulator site to FSInsider..

http://blogs.msdn.com/tdragger/archive/2005/11.aspx mentions the challenge. Written by FS team member.