In the past we've usually had to wait for a little while for our favorite addons to be updated to the new version, but this time we are expecting the SDK's early so we may have some stuff ready to go when FSX launches... Anyway onto the real part of this thread...What do you plan to do in FSX to tide you over when you first get it?My plans are to fly around the world using the default aircraft and scenery... I have the flight plan in development and will use the new 'share flight' pictures and info that is in FSX... (according to tdragger)...Anyone else got ideas on how to make effective use of the new sim until your favorite addon becomes compatible?

I usually don't have a plan when I fly around the FS world, I usually just follow my nose. I always take off from the airport I last landed at, so inevitably I get all over the place. I don't want a flight to last more than a couple of hours, so how far I can get depends on which aircraft I select.I'll have a look around Australia first because this is where I live. Then I'll make my way to London, and save the juicy entry into the US for after that. I expect the US will probably look better than elsewhere on the planet, but I love flying around America anyway. It's such an interesting landscape.Mike.

We know we're all fanatics when we start to pre-plan what our maiden voyage will be in FSX.I realise that once you've had FSX for a few weeks, the "newness" will evaporate into "normality" and so its about retaining as much of that "newness" as possible to keep the magic kindled in a slow fire that dosen't burn out fast.For me, my 'tradition' is patience, a strict routine with discipline.I plan to get special coffee, buy FSX and Vista together (will wait for Vista) during the week, wait until Saturday, get up at 6am, install Vista, check that out an hour or so, then install FSX.First flight will be in Chicago, home of FS-startup (presuming its still available :( )otherwise in Seattle, in the Cessna, because thats what every version of FS has started with.Take a break. Ponder a little.Then load some default flights with different aircraft and try to "discover" the heart of the default flights.More breaks to reflect.Then check out missions one at a time.I think we'll get more out of FSX, by "taking it easy" and not doing everything at once, that way we'll get pleasantly surprised along the way........but we don't all work that way, here are people wanting to explore the SDK before FSX (for commercial reasons I can understand, which is ok)However, I won't buy/download anything for FSX until a good long while as the good stuff which is worth the time probably won't be available until then.

FLY!! That will be the first thing I do in FSX. Just Fly. :)

I always try and find the local airstrip in the village up the road from where I live.Its never been there before, but I always live in hope :)After that I'm off to discover what the UK looks like at low level, in the past its been bland and boring. (Too flat)Some of the new screen shots of the Scottish Highlands look fantastic and I'm hoping that the new autogen will add some much needed interest.RegardsMark

What I plan on doing, as I have done with every version of Flight Simulator since '98, is start up the Bell 206 BIII JetRanger at Sanderson Field in Shelton Washington(my home airport). From there, I'll explore the entire airport, see if there's been any changes made, and then I'll take off on a flight that ends whenever I decide to drop collective and land at the nearest airport. When I got Flight Simulator 2004: A Century of Flight, I did that, and my first real flight took place as I was exploring Sanderson. After I got done exploring, I headed out on a slightly southeast course to Mt. St. Helens, flew inside the crater, and then made a heading towards the Centralia/Chehalis airport for refueling. From there, I flew north to the Tacoma Narrows airport, landed for fuel again, and then did a few passes over the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. After all was said and done, I decide to head back to Sanderson, drop collective for a landing at the helipad, shut 'er down, and then make my first logbook entry.My second flight, to really "break in" the new Flight Simulator X Bell 206 BIII JetRanger, will be a flight from Shelton Sanderson Field to Bend Municipal Airport in Bend, Oregon. The flight has one stopover for fuel midway at Hillsboro airport, both to bend and coming back from it.I figure, it's all a good day's worth of flying, and I get to explore the Central Oregon Cascades while doing so!

Ah now you need FSGlobal mesh and some decent terrain software maybe UT Europe and/or GE from Flight1. Then nowhere on this Earth is boring.

Start FSX.Set details to reasonable.Start flying.Turn on frames/second meter.Cry and bang head on table.Shut down FSX.Think of ways to get money for a new system.

I'll start with the missions!:)Manny

I'll probably recreate my most recent trip home to Atlanta from Seattle. Nice cross country trip to get the general overall feel for the sim at flight levels. Next will probably be some island hopping around the Caribbean in a floatplane to take in the slow and low sights and water effects. After that, I might just do some European flights. I've finally done a few in FS2004, and I can't believe what I've denied myself by keeping my flying in the western hemisphere 99.9% of the time. Should be even better in X. I know that's more than a "first thing", but every new release revitalizes my interest in simming, so I like to sample from a variety of things at first. :)

1) I will load a default plane for all of 10 seconds before loading a POSKY plane and checking out the improvements. The flight will probably take place in the Caribbean.2) See if my FS2002 addons still work :-lol--------------------------------------------------------------------MD83's Dictionary:Dirge: Slow and mournful music e.g. COLDPLAY's musicMaudlin: Effusively or Insincerely emotional e.g. COLDPLAY's musicWhiney: To make a high-pitched, protracted sound, as in pain, fear, supplication, or complaint e.g. COLDPLAY's musicDreary: Boring; dull e.g. COLDPLAY's music

I'll buy and load FSX the day it comes out.1. See if the flight planner can generate a anywhere close to realistic flight plan from New York to London. Heck if it's basically straight across the North Atlantic I'll be happy. FS2002 used a waypoint in Tunisia as the gateway to Europe, FS2004 uses a waypoint off the north coast of Alaska as the gateway / exit from North America.2. AI traffic - watch how it works, watch the approach system - see what's different.3. Try the approach and ATC from a user aircraft.4. Fly small GA to a couple interesting airports - KGCN - L41 - KPGA.I will not load anything, addon aircraft, addon AI traffic, addon mesh, etc until I test the system in the default mode.In my opinion starting with any FS2002 and FS2004 addons is a sure way to limit my learning of how FS10 will work, what it can do, what is new.Limiting the program to non-FSX addons is not a good idea in my opinion.Oh, yes I will load some of my addons later - mesh, scenery, and aircraft.The first non-default aircraft I fly will probably be the Posky B752 in Cebu Air Manila colors - but I'll use the default heavy twin panel and sounds so I can compare the aircraft to the default, and to FS2004.Probably most of my first six months with FSX will be spend looking at AI aircraft behavior and code.(Oh and I've flown FS2004 on a beta of Vista - not much worse than on Win XP SP2)

Try everything out over the course of a couple of days and then come and #### on the Avsim forums about FSX and how it doesn't have X, Y and Z...

*I'll do a full install, then fire it up.*I'll begin by checking out the new UI, then the planes included.*Next I'll take a look at how FSX sets up my default settings and parameters for my system, then I'll make a few *tweaks* to suit my personal tastes. I'm first and foremost an "eyecandy" guy.*I'll then load a Cessna and go to my home airport. I've already been hinted to that my hometown *probably* won't be receiving a significant upgrade; nevertheless with all of the coming improved features of FSX I'm sure my city will look much, much better. I'll fire up the Cessna and make a nice leisurely low and slow flight to check out a lot of the new enhancements to the scenery. I have this tingling feeling I'll be very pleased with what I see.*After that, I'll begin checking out some of the major cities, landmarks and mountainous areas out west (my favorite place), and take a peek at some of the new planes and cockpits.*I'll end the day by looking at a few of the new "missions" to see what they are all about.*As always, it will be a fun day scoping out the new version and seeing what it has to offer; I'll finish by coming to AVSIM and reading what some of my fellow simmers think of the new version. Most will be very positive, a few will have some negative things to say about it because this or that feature did not get significantly improved or upgraded enough to suit them, but the overall consensus will be that it's a terrific new version (My opinion, of course). All in all it will be a great day!

I'll start loading up my AI traffic and scenery files to try to get it back to 1959 ASAP!Take care,--Tom GibsonCal Classic Propliner Page: http://www.calclassic.comFreeflight Design Shop: http://www.freeflightdesign.comDrop by! ___x_x_(")_x_x___