Hello,

After a long time, i wanted to go back to FS9. I am tired of the other more recent simulators (due to constant updating and other issues). I recently set up P3D and now i need FS9 in my life. I do not mind payware of course for the suggestions below.

 

My questions are the following:

1)Will this work in Windows 10/11?

2)Which Airbus do you reccomend? I exclusively fly the Airbus family. Need VC ofc

3)What to use for weather engine? 

4)For Weather textures REX? or others? 

5)Landclass and mesh? Does ORBX work with FS9?  

6)FSUIPC is a must have i guess

7)I only fly offline, so i need an AI traffic software with recent flightplans. I remember at the time TTools correct? Does it still work or? AIFP?

8)Any good ATC programs?

9)Are there any tweaks needed to the .CFG ?

10) For camera ? Active cam? or others?

11) Does FS9 have GSX or something similar?

 

Regarding my Hardware:

1)CPU i5-9600K

2)RTX 2070

3)16GB of RAM

4)Corsair H100i liquid cooler

I play on 1080p/60Hz

 

Thanks in advance

cheers

Edited March 14, 20251 yr by A3 610

Just my tuppence worth :-

1: FS2004 is fine in W10/11 PROVIDED you don't install it in the "default" Program Files\Microsoft Games etc. but give it a directory by itself, other than on the C drive if possible, else in the root of C in an appropriately named folder. I've got a folder named Flight Simulator (wow! original) on my C drive within which I have FS2000, FS2002, FS2004 and FSX, all in their own directories.

5: I don't believe ORBX is "officially" available for FS2004, though I've seen a hack. Personally I use FScene for background texturing and a combination of meshes as available covering different areas. FS Terrain does a fairly good job of the USA and Europe, you'll need to look around for other areas.

6: FSUIPC is only necessary if you want/need it's features. It does affect simulator performance, possibly not significantly on a modern machine.

7: AI traffic, a favourite subject of mine 🙂 Initially I'd suggest something like Traffic 2005, just to get you going, then you can add commercial airlines, specific schedules, GA traffic etc. as your preferences dictate. TTools is still good, AIFP also works, the TrafficDatabaseBuilder utility supplied with the FS2004 SDK is a great way to generate a bunch of random flights to fill in the background ... ideal for GA AI.

9. .CFG tweaks may depend on what you're trying to achieve. Increasing the mesh resolution is the only one that immediately springs to mind, but that's only necessary if you've got high-resolution mesh.

My HP Workstation has an i7 with 24GB RAM and an SSD ... seems adequate for what I want

As for the rest ... no experience, sorry, hope this helps.

Regarding your questions:

1. Yes, but you'll need the No-CD patch that used to be frown upon some years ago. This is because of a DRM method deprecated because of security reasons. Also, full screen mode does not play nice with Windows.

2. For stability, Wilco. The bundle is still available for €29. But you'll need to comment out the WXR gauges in each panel.cfg. That way, you won't have CTDs at exit. The A32x models are decent, but the A330 and A340 are horrible. Unlike MSFS, there are not many options regarding Airbus.

3. As of now, I only know of two survivors: FS Real WX, and FSGRW. The former is not as reliable as the versions I have of Activesky for FSX, P3D and MSFS. The latter is too expensive for my liking.

4. Pablo Díaz HDE textures, or Envtex (FS9 version is free)

5. If you're flying in USA, Canada or Europe and you can get Ultimate Terrain, it might do wonders (I can't confirm; I don't have them). For the rest of the world, this is what I use:

• Mesh: This one by Rhumbaflappy. Resolution is not that good (I think is 152 or 304 m). It was done for CFS2, but it's way better than the default 1.2 km mesh outside the US, and works in FS9. There's also this SRTM one at Simviation.
• Vector scenery: for Europe and South America, there is something called OSM World, which I recommend (maybe because I'm the other developer 😂)
• Ground textures: apart from the unofficial Orbx hack, there is The Natural World 2019.
• Other scenery, both airport and non-airport: https://www.freewarescenery.com/fs2004.html

6. Yes, but now it's free.

7. Yes and yes. AIFP is more capable.

8. PF3 or Radar Contact. Both are abandoware and free. I prefer the former, because it has more callsigns (and because that's the one I purchased back in 2017). Some others prefer RC.

9. Sorry, I can't confirm; I have to check.

10. There was Active Camera, but it's no longer available. 

11. Sadly not. The closest thing to that is the integrated ground services in the Posky, Skyspirit and TDS models (all by Hiroshi Igami), but there's nothing that can be used with other aircraft. That's something that would have been wonderful in FS9.

Another thing: it may sound like a first world problem, but if you have too many FPS (over 100), you may get sound distorsion. You'll need to limit your FPS somehow. I'm just reinstalling FS9 in my main rig.

Edited March 15, 20251 yr by Luis Hernandez

I'd try FSX.

I would not!

8 hours ago, Luis Hernandez said:

3. As of now, I only know of two survivors: FS Real WX, and FSGRW. The former is not as reliable as the versions I have of Activesky for FSX, P3D and MSFS. The latter is too expensive for my liking.

There is another, FS Meteo. It is intersting to note that many of the surviving weather engines support a huge range of FS versions, in the case of FS M from FS98/CFS2 right through to Perpar3D. It questions why some of the other weather engine developers dropped it.

Personally prefer FS GRW visually, but have FS Meteo on hand for a rainy day - pun intended! With FS2004 you just don't know what might disappear tomorrow.

Best regards,

John

8 hours ago, jmdriskell said:

I'd try FSX.

16 hours ago, A3 610 said:

i wanted to go back to FS9. I am tired of the other more recent simulators (due to constant updating and other issues). I recently set up P3D and now i need FS9 in my life.

There's the OP's response. 

 

Quote

11) Does FS9 have GSX or something similar?

There is Aerosoft's "Airport Enhancement Service", which I believe still works in FS9.  You buy credits ("AES Creditpack") which you spend to activate airports.  Some airports work for 'free' so you can download it and try it out.  Others cost anywhere from 1 - 5 credits, depending on the complexity of the airport.  Gets expensive however if you want to activate more than a few airports.

Regards,

David

 

21 hours ago, Wobbie said:

I would not!

Couldn’t agree more. FSX was the most cartoonish platform MS ever developed. It was like they were mad at the world when they created that  >fill in the blank< version.

32 minutes ago, PebbleBeach said:

Couldn’t agree more. FSX was the most cartoonish platform MS ever developed. It was like they were mad at the world when they created that  >fill in the blank< version.

Well said.. Just as 'Vista' was the 'dog' of operating systems, FSX was the 'Vista' of sims. ☠️

Is it possible to buy a copy of FS9? I keep FSX for certain birds that were never ported to 64 bit sims. COS Stratocruser and LVLD 767.

1 hour ago, Patco Lch said:

Is it possible to buy a copy of FS9? I keep FSX for certain birds that were never ported to 64 bit sims. COS Stratocruser and LVLD 767.

In the UK, boxed copies of FS2004 turn up on eBay regularly at about £10 inc. postage, I'd imagine the same would be true elsewhere.

A problem if your PC/laptop has no media drive!

I started simming on FSX in 2006 and never had FS9 though I read there were many better things about it. I have regard for folks who don't have to follow the herd but continue to build the platform they prefer. 

I've had FS9 since it was released. I've tried FSX (not for long) P3Dv4.5, which I still have, & even FS2020 & have always gone back to FS9.

 

So many reasons, especially that you can have multiple installs, I have a so-called normal version, and 2 retro versions, each with appropriate scenery & aircraft. 

Over the years, I've done the usual point-to-point flying, got bored with that, and ended up going the retro route, such as the scenery & aircraft from 'The Ford Tri-Motor Project'. 

Simming, as a wise developer once said, is all about Fun, Facts & Fiction.. hence my ongoing FS9 journey!