In their wisdom, is there any chance that the MSFS team changed the default location for startup, to somewhere else other than the main takeoff runway at a major airport, 34R at SEA?Controllers everywhere are hoping!* Orest

Hopefully it's not TNCM per the demo (not that it's not a great place). For as long as I can remember it was Meigs airport in Chicago, and I'm talking back in FS4 days when I was a wee boy about 11 or 12 years old when I first started with FS. They didn't change it until FS2004 when they realized Meigs was no more. Anyway to answer your question, I believe it's still Seattle, a beautiful city by the way.Jeff

You'll be happy to know the answer is yes! The new default flight doesn't even start on a runway. In fact, it starts in the air over the scenic San Juan Islands in northwestern Washington State, USA.-AdamP.S. I should add that that's the default for the U.S. English version of Flight Sim. I believe that versions for other markets will have start locations that are more geographically relevant to each market.

Am I missing something? For years ever since FS98, I've set up my own default start up flight so that everything would set up the way I wanted it to.Lee

You're not missing anything, I have always done the same.

Yes, but most newbie folks do not change the default flight, then worse ...They load up, and then log on to VATSIM for the first time, and appear on the end of an active runway unannounced.The ZSE controllers pull their hair out over that.Now if the default location was changed that would avoid this major headache. Sure, you can change the default to whatever you want, the issue is with those newbie online folks that don't.Interesting, the new default will be mid-flight, that is a first!* Orest

Yes, very true and a very valid point.Most of that though falls on us for not grabbing new pilots from the very start and giving them an actual verbal or PM type orientation.We can't rely on a text PRC for 100% of their training.I know we try to make it easier for new pilots to join and connect, but the problem is we're pushing them through a system that has execptionally trained and knowledgable ATC's which have to be tested (written and performace based) and certified to boot. That means we've just thrown a pilot who knows next to nothing into a system where ATC's pretty much not only know their airspace but the procedures the pilots fly so the whole thing is extremely lopsided.So you have to ask yourself, is it really worth it to gain all those new folks then have then get even more mad, frustrated, and sad, later, and have almost no chance to reclaim them.Only the hard core and most stubborn stick around and push through it. Thankfully those numbers are very high these days because we're busier then ever.The good news is that I think there are some additions that are going to be made to get new pilots up to speed quickly without them loosing interest along the way.Sorry to get off topic there, but that was kind of a loaded topic...LOL.

...and I am NOT a newbie - at least as far as FS goes. I have been flying it since the Bruce Artwick on the apple IIe, and I have been very active with 2002 and 2004. Tried the whole VATSIM thing about a year ago - got squakbox, a VATSIM id (still on their mailing list), followed the tutorials - set everything up as per spec - and nothing. Absolutely nothing. Dead air. No planes. Totally not what I expected. After a weekend shot troubleshooting I gave up and have not looked back. Spend too much time on the sim as it is, I need to hold my frustration level down and not spend that time tweaking and trying to get some complex, multi part system to function!Just my two cents worth. I know it works for some - sure didn't work for me.

Friday Harbor, WA state is the default airport.Never heard about default airport's other than Friday harbor for non US versions, but you never know... It wouldn't be a bad idea.Bryan

The old Squawk box I believe ran 'outside' of the sim for the most part, so it was hard to set up, etc., for most new folks, even for me at first, and like you, I've also been an FS'er since the first version. Corono 'tabletop-or portable'-lol green screen and Apple IIc for me.The new SB is a lot better and easier to use. It's a 1 piece system now with integrated voice so all you have to do is change the freq on your aircraft radio and it will tune for you. The PRC (pilot resource center) from the VATSIM main page is a good starting place to learn some basics for the time being until a new pilot resource and training center is up and running.There will still be some sort of learning curve no matter what as with anything, but it's been cut down quite a bit for the most part, but the 'awesomeness' of talking to live controller is worth every bit of it.Give it another try, it's another aspect of simming I think you'd enjoy. There's a ton of more traffic on now of course then there was a year ago, and there are more areas of controllers all over the world then there used to be. Make sure you get the free "whazzup' program so you can look graphically at who's online in any given period of time.

>Friday Harbor, WA state is the default airport.>>Never heard about default airport's other than Friday harbor>for non US versions, but you never know... It wouldn't be a>bad idea.Those who have the beta version (any) will find the various default flights in the ..Flightsother folder. Here are the descriptions found in each of the .flt files...English Edition:Description=Explore Friday Harbor and the San Juan islands in Washington State.German Edition:Description=Fly over Germany near Frankfurt/Main airport.Spanish Edition:Description=Discover the Spanish coast near Barcelona's El Prat Airport.French Edition:Description=Visit Mont Saint Michel near Pleurtuit-Saint Malo Airport in France.Italian Edition:Description=Fly along the coast of Italy near Reggio Calabria Airport.Japanese Edition:Description=See the sights near Mt Fuji.Polish Edition:Description=Tour the north coast near Lecha Walesy Airport.Something to note about all this is that there is no way to "change the default flight" from the FSX UI anylonger. If you wish to change the default flight, you will need to do it "manually" via Windows Explorer... ;)

>Yes, but most newbie folks do not change the default flight,>then worse ...>>They load up, and then log on to VATSIM for the first time,>and appear on the end of an active runway unannounced.>>The ZSE controllers pull their hair out over that.>Maybe VATSIM/or server side could do a little programming and do a simple "check" when a user logs onto their servers. If that LAT/LON and altitude all match that of the default start location, then send a message to client stating they cannot start here and will not be connected until they are at a point "x", or off the runway? A little innovation goes a long way.

A little innovation goes a long way? Look at the entire VATSIM system as it is now, you don't consider that innovation?>>Maybe VATSIM/or server side could do a little programming and>do a simple "check" when a user logs onto their servers. If>that LAT/LON and altitude all match that of the default start>location, then send a message to client stating they cannot>start here and will not be connected until they are at a point>"x", or off the runway? A little innovation goes a long way.

>Am I missing something? For years ever since FS98, I've set>up my own default start up flight so that everything would set>up the way I wanted it to.>>LeeAnd you'll still be able to do that in FSX.All they are saying, in the US distribution of FSX, the first time you fire up FSX out of the box, it will start with you being in the air near Friday Harbor. :) (that's a place in the San Juan Islands).Whereas before, in FS9, the first time you started FS9, you were situated on 34R at KSEA.RhettAMD 3700+, eVGA 7800GT 256, ASUS A8N-E, PC Power 510 SLI, 2 GB Corsair XMS 3-3-3-8, etc. etc.

I agree. They should start you out on the ramp. It has happend to me (luckly not when connected to VATSIM!!!) that I pick a new airport or fill out the flight planner, forget to pick the start position, hit 'Fly Now' and there I am on the active. Nothing too big, just a drag to have to go back through the menus or slew to the ramp. Default should start you at the ramp.