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^^With an attitude like that, it will be no wonder more and more people stop using MSFS and X-Plane will take its place. I spent $3K on PC hardware just for MSFS and no other "kid's video game" as if MSFS is a "kid's video game." I was looking forward to getting more IFR time in real world weather starting New Year's Day. As of this post, it is still down. I also didn't pay $150 for software to run properly on Microsoft's time. Kid's video game...maybe you wandered in the wrong forum Tim. EDIT: And let's keep something else in mind - Microsoft was REAL PROUD of the MSFS launch of the GOTY edition.

Okay well the good news is that you can get a lot of power for that money (approximately $3,300 USD or €2,960). That is almost exactly how much I spent on my recent MSFS build including new flight control hardware (but minus monitor). The bad news is that video cards are still either overpriced by reseller scalpers or impossible to find in stock from a retailer/Etailer store at retail price. I got my Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti through NewEgg (US site) on a lottery draw to purchase called a shuffle. I don't know what your purchasing options are in the UK assuming that is where you are. For a CPU the more cores the better and for memory 16GB is recommended but 32GB preferred because MSFS is heavily dependent on streaming scenery (reduces stutters more than increases FPS at ultra quality settings). You may find the only option for a decent build with a decent video card is to go pre-build. Lots of people are having success buying a pre-build from ABS on NewEgg with a 3-series Nvidia or 6000-series AMD video card. Here's one example with an RTX 3080 on NewEgg/UK for just £2,599.99 on promo sale: https://www.newegg.com/global/uk-en/abs-ali585/p/N82E16883360220 . The only drawback to these pre-builds is that their power supplies are bare minimum in power and quality, so with an expensive GPU it is strongly suggested to replace it with an aftermarket one. But if that's the only way to get a video card for the foreseeable future, it's just an add-on cost. I will say this however since you do not mention what resolution monitor/TV you'd be using. The higher you go in resolution for MSFS and quality settings, the more the GPU power matters (including amount of VRAM) which was not the case in any previous MS flight sim version. That is if you do not want to sacrifice lower quality settings. This is most pertinent at 4K settings as shown here from a hardware test last year (before the recent updates improved performance across the board): https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qtPHFGeEPnKyKm3xDYbQZh.png In any event, good luck in whatever you choose/find!

I remember one of my instructors about 20 years ago when FS2000 was out and it was all the rage with home sim hobby aviators. Most of us who flew real world aircraft learned long before home flight sims started becoming more realistic at least in visuals and instrumentation starting with FS98. He would always groan when taking on a new student for flight lessons if said student bragged about learning to first "fly" in a home PC sim like FS or ProPilot (remember that?) with a joystick. Long story short, the students would have to unlearn bad habits and then relearn all over again what they learned wrong (example: rudder control tied with roll is not very realistic in any FS even to this day). They also had a hard time adjusting to the movement of the aircraft in the wind because in the sim it didn't bounce around as well as adjusting for real world depth perception on landing after many hours of staring at a small CRT screen! He compared it to someone learning how to swing a golf club all wrong growing up and then going to the pros for advanced lessons. He found it much easier to take on a fledgling student with zero home PC sim experience - like most of we middle-aged guys did long before FS became a home sim staple with the hardware goodies like yoke/joystick and rudder pedals controlling it. Now that's not to say MSFS or Xplane or any previous PC based sim isn't an asset for learning because it most certainly is for the likes of VOR and NDB navigation for Xcountry training as one example. Something you can't really experience in ground school studying a 2D book with diagrams. You can also get a basic idea on flight dynamics and how an aircraft is controlled. But that's about as far as it goes.

Hello and welcome to the forums! It always is helpful if you list both your system and controller hardware when reporting an issue. That said, are you using any controller button or keyboard key during flight for a command after those first few minutes? Being that it happens in all aircraft which have different types of autopilots leads me to believe that you are hitting a button for something that is also mapped to the autopilot on/off switch. Double check your controller mapping between mouse, keyboard, and whatever flight controller(s) you are using (if you are using) and make sure there is not a duplicate assignment for the autopilot on/off. The default on the keyboard for example to engage/disengage the autopilot is the Z key.

Has anyone tried this yet? I downloaded their Weatherforce for MSFS that was supposed to be fixed after WU7 but has not. I want this bad but am hesitant having already spent $25 on real world weather that does not work! https://rexsimulations.com/accuseason.html?fbclid=IwAR1bY2xtm9rGMaLGDOkFNj78xg_SAfKSQrDYxam-v2sqvg88llaEgmFQr-A

I checked into this a week or two ago and their Facebook page advised they were delaying the release after WU7 and compatibility issues. Imagine that....

What an awesome failure! In all seriousness I'm not surprised Dell can no longer source their proprietary motherboard for a 9th-gen Intel chipset. What I am interested in is what FPS difference you will see in performance of that 12-gen i7 coupled with an RTX 3080 Ti assuming you keep the same previous settings (and monitor resolution). From what I've read so far DDR5 memory offers no real world noticeable gaming performance improvements regarding FPS over DDR4. Having done a recent high end build myself just for MSFS I'm looking to buy a pre-build mid range for my nephew with an RTX 3060, and hence the interest in what your former system's performance was with an RTX 2070 (they are essentially equal in most game benchmarks). I would build him one but of course 3-series GPUs cannot be found out there in retail stock/price which is going to be our new normal well into next year if not beyond even after the RTX 4-series are introduced.

Same here in the US. The S versions are everywhere. Trying to find an X version is like trying to find the elusive PS5 (or video card). I'm not sure if you have it in the UK, but in North America (Canada and US) there are several stores (MicroCenter) and E-sellers (NewEgg) that you can sign up for a lottery of sorts to win an option to even buy a PS5 or Xbox Series X or video card. It's called a shuffle and the good news is that you pay original MSRP not some inflated price gouger price. You chose what you want to buy then hope you get selected. That's how I got my GTX 3080 Ti.

Well $21.95 USD and a couple hours later after two 1-hour test flights in different areas it's working for me with real barometric pressure, winds, and weather. I was aware of Nels post two days ago. I figured I have nothing to lose at this point. This has only happened in the last six hours as of this post time stamp and I will update with screenshots of before/after install. The update I thought I read was for a different product. Maybe they have a fix and just haven't announced it yet? Well this answers it and I was not crazy: https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/rexnews

Well that's just it. I have live weather turned on even down to VATSIM selection of my departure airport. Seems to work for most, but not all. I'm one of those few. I used to have REX for FS9 & FSX and I'm about to break out the card for it and download as I just found out they updated for WU7. One and done. Oh and I do have my AV/Malware disabled before booting the sim as I always have.

With live weather and METAR checked and the departure airport Wx checked I continue to have standard ISA conditions (zero winds, 29.92"). All the way through the flight levels. Everything else is working fine in the sim. I have read a few people report the same thing but just restart the sim to get live weather working. Is there some hidden feature I'm not checking to get real METAR weather? And yes, that is lit up in blue and checked where I select the airport weather. This makes no sense and is just ruining the experience.

I would also like to add as far as PC components the only real shortages out there are for the graphics cards (and that's not going away anytime soon either). Every other component like the processor, motherboard, memory, etc. for a build are not having any supply issues (at least for the North American market like the US or Canada). One can find plentiful pre-built gaming PCs with a variety of video card choices both high end and entry level like from NewEgg (ABS is a popular builder they sell). So that removes any GPU problem but creates others. Specifically you are at the mercy of the builder/seller's quality choice of internal components and usually they don't choose good quality around the most critical component: the power supply. I wouldn't want a new build powered by an Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti attached to a cheap power supply. So that means the additional expense and time of taking everything apart and buying and installing a new quality power supply (which many have done based on pre-built reviews).

Lots of interesting comments on Youtube including from at least one skydiver who never left the plane....wow.

I've had a random CTD flying the Citation CJ4 so it's not just aircraft specific related. I have a brand new build which is benchmark stress tested and is using only MSFS. I think it's a matter of the sim and live map updates randomly wherever you are. You've got a high end hardware build (as do I) so it is certainly not that. I will say that it has never happened since, and that was in between SU5 and 6.

So you didn't even look into the possibility your optical drive is failing. We got the memo. No need to post it on two different threads.

Well whatever makes you happy. I have the DVD version and never had a read error on my external drive (my case does not have CD/DVD drive media slots). I would have encouraged you to buy a $20 external USB DVD drive like I had to buy, but your decision is made. Happy flying.

Off topic but I gotta ask...is there still trash floating everywhere in those waters or did they clean up the canals finally? It was off-putting to say the least of a classic renaissance/romance city (I was there last in the late-'00s). Yeah the Store, which is tied to your unique MS account. And yes a PC reboot to ensure fully disconnecting from the MS account and there's no vampire background process still telling MS that the account is still signed in. The Gaming Services utility as mentioned is a suspect culprit of that. I wouldn't worry about that. There are literally millions of different hardware and software configurations out there among PC users. Some are bound to have crazy problems whereas others may experience zero (with the rest being somewhere in between in problem spectrum). If you have your sim installed in a non-default C Windows directory you have a higher chance of problems with updates, the Store, etc. For the record I have the boxed DVD version installed on a dedicated SSD with only W10 on it and nothing else outside of programs directly related to the sim and the hardware to run it. It was also installed on a brand new from scratch build.

I would also like to add that a good portion of the complaints people have with any update is that it does not show up in the store and won't download. Usually a simple log out of your MS account and reboot and re-sign in to the account gets things going. There are a couple of more problems with the MS Store not showing an update and requires a little more in-depth finagling. One involves the Gaming Services program within the Store. I had to deal with that on both SU5 and SU6 and here was what worked for me and others both times: https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/sent-to-microsoft-store-while-launching-msfs/406577/32 Just if you or anyone else coming across this thread has the same issue I did and many others. I will say that there is a known bug in the update now with at least one aircraft I've flown, and that's the Longitude with warning chimes that won't shut up during startup and ITT temp warnings that go off when engines are well under ITT redline.

I will also add to be very careful when you are wiping the disc. If you go in a circular motion following the diameter of the disc, you can cause scratches, even with a microfiber, that will mimic the microscopic laser etched data rendering it useless. When wiping, go from the center out in sectors like a pie chart.

I thought it was a fluke after the update earlier this week but apparently it's an issue. If you use more than 75% power you will get an ITT warning chime and flag on the G3000. It is totally annoying. On top of that, starting out with a cold dark cockpit you get ignition and starter warning chimes even after the jet is fully powered up with APU off and engines running on generator. It is very annoying but I will say at least they fixed the notorious rocking back and forth with the NAV autopilot trying to find the course. One thing fixed, another broken. Go figure. https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/citation-longitude-master-warning-resets-do-not-work/463341/5

Actually that's pretty standard with the CPU being used far less than the GPU. The MSFS engine is CPU bottlenecked which really shows as you go higher up in resolution settings/monitors. It is the complete opposite of previous FS versions from FSX on back which were GPU bottlenecked where the 1-2 core speed was way more important than what GPU you had at any resolution and quality setting. My rig is running on average about 25%-75% bias use between the CPU/GPU respectively based on what GeForce Experience overlay says - and that's at 1440p resolution with maxed quality settings and 60FPS lock. The GFE utility only splits the use adding up to 100% combined always - it never shows 100% GPU use and 25% CPU use. I'd recommend getting a second opinion on what your GPU and CPU are doing. Windows task manager is historically notorious for erroneous information on what the hardware is doing. Get CPU-Z and GPU-Z and either MSI Afterburner or Nividia GeForce Experience to find out what your hardware is *really* doing. All that said, there is a recent fear of people worrying about their older GPUs dying early. It is understandable due to the GPU shortage which apparently will be long term. I still have one of my two EVGA 970s, an SC Gaming (blower cooler style) used in an old former SLI gaming build. It still runs after over 1,000 hours of use just as it did out of the gate based on volts and heat record keeping. GPUs will last a long time so long as you don't overclock with increased voltage and maintain good thermal temps. GPU processors are made to be used like CPUs. Here's a quick thread about it: https://forums.tomshardware.com/threads/high-fps-gpu-load-and-its-effects-on-the-lifespan.2777977/

And on top of that there are details that need to be paid attention to like going over the motherboard's QVL for memory compatibility (Qualified Vendor List). It lists all the memory makes and models that were tested by the motherboard maker and gave no errors. It is more important to follow that for AMD chipsets than Intel chipsets as AMD is less forgiving on memory compatibility than Intel (several of the major memory makers like G.SKILL and Corsair even make AMD-specific tuned variants). I've been building for over 20 years for simming & gaming and not one build worked 100% after completion and required troubleshooting to resolve. Including my most recent one in my sig just finished for MSFS a month and a half ago. Things can be so simple but so frustrating to troubleshoot like the Power LED button cable from the case to the motherboard connector being plugged in reverse polarity. Or discovering you had a defective PCIe power adapter to your video card and grabbed another from the extra cables your modular PSU came with and suddenly your video card works. Or realizing you actually got a bad memory module after triple checking all connections and troubleshooting every other failure option. All of the above I have experienced and that's just off the top of my head after about 15 from-scratch builds. No, buying components and slapping a computer together is not recommended for the first timer without some sort of guidance either in person or virtually like in videos and on PC hardware forums like Toms Hardware (the most active help out there for forum help of which I'm a long time member of).

Don't forget that you still have the old FS aircraft relocation slew option to move the aircraft on the ground ("Y" as the default setting...press Y to engage and Y to release). I have to do this sometimes when at a new airport never flown out of and randomly choose a starting ramp spot in a bad location I can't taxi out of. You hit Y and then use your keyboard arrows to move the aircraft around (default keyboard setting is up for forward, down for back, left for left, right for right). Once you have the aircraft where you want it, press Y again and it will give you normal control back. But it reacts very fast so don't hold an arrow key down for more than a microsecond at a time or you'll quickly find yourself on the other side of the airport. As a side note, I keep a record of what ramp spots to NOT choose when creating a flight!

That's not an overreaction at all based on a year's worth of history of issues people with add-on aircraft and scenery have had after every major update (MS store download available or not). On top of that, we are at some point going to get an update to DX12 (was originally scheduled for July 27 for PC). If not fully vetted/tested prior to release on at least MS Store available add-ons, that can open a Pandora's Box to a whole new world of problems out there. We're going to find out.

Neither do I as I don't like being spied on. However you can still lurk there without an account and follow their posts.