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Contents
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	       MICROSOFT FLIGHT SIMULATOR  Version 5.1
		      R E L E A S E    N O T E S       
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This document contains important information about Microsoft 
Flight Simulator. For more details on how to fly, read the 
Microsoft Flight Simulator Pilot's Handbook.

World Airports:
FSSYSTEM System Startup (Boot) Disk:
Hard Disk Space Requirement:
Joystick Support:
Memory Configuration:
Navigation Information:
Running Flight Simulator under Microsoft Windows:
Running Flight Simulator under OS/2 2.1:
Scenery Add-Ons:
Scenery Library:
Sound Support:
SVGA Support:

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Memory Configuration:
* To run Microsoft Flight Simulator 5.1, you need a computer 
  with at least 500 kilobytes (K) of free conventional memory. If your
  computer does not have an expanded memory manager (EMM), you 
  need 560K of free conventional memory. Flight Simulator displays a 
  message if your computer has insufficient conventional memory, and
  you cannot run the program.  Please refer to the "Troubleshooting 
  Guide for Setup" in Chapter 24 of the Flight Simulator Pilot's 
  Handbook for tips on optimizing your system performance.

* You can significantly enhance Flight Simulator's performance
  if you configure your computer for expanded memory.  Please 
  refer to the "Troubleshooting Guide for Setup" in Chapter 24 
  of the Flight Simulator Pilot's Handbook or to your MS-DOS 
  manual for instructions on how to configure your computer for
  expanded memory.

* If you have no extended or expanded memory, or encounter out
  of memory errors when running Flight Simulator, you will get 
  better performance if you turn off the sound option.  To do 
  this, choose Preferences from the Options menu, and then 
  choose the Sound button. In the Sound Preferences dialog box,
  choose No Sound Device from the Sound Board list.  This will
  save additional conventional memory and allow more features 
  to run.

* If your machine has only 4 megabytes (MB) of memory, 
  Flight Simulator will run better if you use the RAM memory 
  parameter (see MS-DOS help on EMM386.EXE) with no EMS 
  limiter syntax used in the emm386 line in CONFIG.SYS for 
  MS-DOS version 6.0 or later. If you are running MS-DOS 
  version 5.0, you will have better memory and system 
  performance if you upgrade to MS-DOS version 6.0 or later. 

  For example, the RAM memory parameter is as follows:
  DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE RAM H=255 D=64
  Your actual line may have slightly different arguments, but 
  the important thing is the presence of the RAM argument.
  H=255 is the number of EMS handles, and D=64 is the number 
  of direct memory access buffers.  The values shown are best for 
  Flight Simulator.


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Hard Disk Space Requirement:
* If your hard drive has 16K clusters (16384 bytes/cluster),
  the save load time disk space requirement is 22 MB. If your 
  hard drive has 8K clusters (8192/cluster), the hard disk space 
  requirement is 15 MB.  The Setup program checks for 20 MB 
  available on the hard disk.

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Running Flight Simulator under Microsoft Windows:
* To run Flight Simulator under Windows, you must configure 
  your system for expanded memory.  Running Flight Simulator 
  under Windows with extended memory may cause memory errors.
  In such a case, Windows terminates your Flight Simulator session.  
  Please refer to the "Troubleshooting Guide for Setup" in Chapter 24 
  of the Flight Simulator Pilot's Handbook or to your MS-DOS manual 
  for instructions on how to configure your computer for expanded 
  memory.

* Loading Sound into Conventional Memory.
  Flight Simulator loads sound files into XMS memory for 
  storage and quick playback.  Running under Windows can 
  cause this memory to be moved, resulting in noisy sounds
  or system crashes.  Windows informs you of any system
  problems with an error dialog.  If this occurs, choose 
  Preferences from the Options menu, and then choose the 
  Sound button.  In the Sound Preferences dialog box, change
  the Use XMS Memory option to No.  When you select this 
  option, Flight Simulator uses additional conventional memory 
  but resolves sound playback problems that would occur using
  XMS memory.  

* If the aircraft in Flight Simulator are not flying smoothly 
  under Windows, you should run Flight Simulator directly from
  MS-DOS.  This will result in a higher display rate and 
  smoother flying aircraft.

* If you cannot get Flight Simulator to run properly under
  Windows, you should run Flight Simulator in MS-DOS mode.
  Refer to Windows online Help for information on running in
  MS-DOS mode.

* You can use FSSYSTEM to build a system startup disk to configure
  your system so that it runs Flight Simulator properly.  If you are 
  running Windows with protected mode drivers for your CD-ROM, 
  FSSYSTEM will not be able to load these drivers for you. You will 
  need to add these drivers to the configuration files on the system startup
  disk created by FSSYSTEM.  Refer to your CD-ROM or computer 
  manual for information on setting up your CD-ROM drivers.

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Running Flight Simulator under OS/2 2.1:
* For best system performance, make sure that the following 
  settings are selected for your MS-DOS session:

  HW_TIMER = ON
  VERTICAL_RETRACE_EMULATION = OFF

* If you are running SVGA graphics, switching back to the 
  desktop may cause screen refresh problems.  Press CTRL+ESC,
  and then press ENTER to return to Flight Simulator.

* To run Flight Simulator in a window, select VGA 320x200 256
  color graphics mode.  Press ALT+HOME and you can toggle 
  between full screen and a window.

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Joystick Support:
* You can operate thrust reversers with the joystick as follows. 
  Pull the joystick throttle all the way back, then press F2 or 
  KEYPAD 3 a few times to engage the thrust reversers. Turn 
  off the thrust reversers by pressing F1 (cut throttle) or 
  giving more than 1/8 forward thrust with joystick (nudge
  the joystick throttle forward a bit).

* A Colorado Spectrum Notebook Gameport driver is included
  for use with the appropriate joystick. To use this driver, type the 
  following line in your FS5.INI file: DEVICE=CS_STIK.FSO
  NOTE:  The gameport driver (NG.EXE from Colorado Spectrum)
  must be installed for this to work.  For information on installing 
  gameport software, see documentation from the manufacturer.

* If your joystick has throttle control, then it is best to
  calibrate the system with the throttle slightly off the full 
  closed stop.

* Joystick drivers:  The following drivers exist: STICK2.FSO, CS_STIK.FSO.  
  When no other joystick driver is specified in the DEVICE= line in the
  FS5.INI file, the CH products driver is the default (CH Flightstick Pro
  works best this way).  STICK2.FSO supports a generic two-button joystick.
  CS_STIK.FSO is discussed in the earlier paragraph on the Colorado Spectrum
  Notebook Gameport driver.  

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SVGA Support:
* In order for the SVGA mode to function on an Orchid Fahrenheit 
  (S3) or Thunder & Lightning (Cirrus) card, the monitor selection
  must be correct.  Improper monitor selection may cause the display 
  to sync improperly resulting in an unstable picture, or a screen that 
  looks "squashed." For more information, refer to the documentation 
  for your specific video board.

* VESA 1.2 Compatibility
  Some VESA 1.2 drivers are not fully implemented.  
  Function 7 and modes 100h or 101h must be implemented 
  for Flight Simulator to work in the SVGA mode.  Refer 
  to the documentation that came with your video board for 
  more information.  If Flight Simulator does not display 
  properly when you select SVGA using a VESA driver, run 
  Flight Simulator Setup again from the Flight Simulator 
  directory and select the VGA display option. Contact your
  video board manufacturer for an updated VESA 1.2 
  compatible driver.

* SVGA 320x200 Mode
  Although this mode may run 10% to 20% faster than the 
  VGA 320x200 mode, some graphics cards do not support this 
  mode.  If your screen flashes or does not display at all, 
  select VGA 320x200 mode.  VESA support on SVGA  320x200 
  is equivalent to selecting VGA 320x200.
 
* ATI Mach 64 cards:
  Older ATI Mach 64 cards may need a bios upgrade.  Bios 
  versions .15, dated 1994/6/10 or newer is required.

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Sound Support:
* Using Flight Simulator under Microsoft Windows NT, Windows 95, 
  or Windows 3.X, PC Speaker sound causes problems.  Avoid these 
  problems by choosing No Sound Device from the Sound Board list 
  when you install Flight Simulator under Windows.

* Running Microsoft Flight Simulator under DR DOS.
  PC Speaker cockpit sounds cause problems under DR DOS.  
  Avoid these problems by choosing No Sound Device from 
  the Sound Board list when you install Flight Simulator.
  If you want to play sounds other than cockpit sounds 
  (plane crashes and wheel screeches), choose Preferences from
  the Options menu, and then choose the Sound button. In 
  the Sound Preferences dialog box, turn off the Cockpit 
  Sounds check box. Then (and only then) choose PC Speaker 
  from the Sound Board list to turn the sound back on.

* Media Vision - Pro Audio Spectrum Sound Cards.
  You must correctly install the Media Vision driver
  (MVSOUND.SYS) before setting Flight Simulator 5.1 
  to run with this sound card. Please refer to the Media 
  Vision documentation for instructions.  If the driver is not 
  installed correctly, you will get an error message. If you get poor
  sound support from the Media Vision - Pro Audio Spectrum 
  sound card, you may need to disable DMA sharing with your 
  card.  Please refer to the documentation that came with 
  the card for instructions. 
  
  To run Pro Audio Spectrum/Studio sound cards as Sound 
  Blaster compatible you must have a SET BLASTER line 
  in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. 
  For example, SET BLASTER=A220 I7 D1 H5 P330 T6 
  Additionally, you need the appropriate Media Vision driver
  installed in the CONFIG.SYS file. For example, in the sound
  card line of your CONFIG.SYS, you should see MVSOUND.SYS 
  for the Pro Audio Spectrum/Studio or PA3D.SYS for the Media 
  Vision Premium 3D sound card.  Flight Simulator only recognizes 
  the MVSOUND.SYS line. If you have another Media Vision sound card, 
  select Media Vision - Pro Audio Spectrum sound driver during Flight 
  Simulator Setup or choose Preferences from the Options menu, and 
  then choose the Sound button.  In the Sound Preferences dialog box, 
  change the sound board accordingly.

* Gravis Ultrasound Sound Card.
  The Gravis Ultrasound driver uses the SBOS or MEGAEM Sound
  Blaster emulation.  Make sure that you have one of these
  drivers loaded before running Flight Simulator.

* Loading Sound into XMS Memory.
  Flight Simulator loads sound files into XMS memory for
  storage and quick playback.  Certain memory configurations
  can cause this memory to be moved, resulting in noisy
  sounds or system crashes.  If this occurs, choose 
  Preferences from the Options menu, and then choose the 
  Sound button. In the Sound Preferences dialog box, change 
  the Use XMS Memory option to No. When you select this option,
  Flight Simulator uses additional conventional memory but
  resolves sound playback problems that would occur using
  XMS memory. 

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Navigation information:
* The VOR frequency for Martha's Vineyard is 114.5, not
  108.2 as shown on the New York and Boston Area chart.

* The VOR frequency for Deer Park is 117.7, not 111.2
  as shown on the New York and Boston Area chart.

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FSSYSTEM System Startup (Boot) Disk:
* If you created a system startup disk and transferred it to
  your hard disk, temporary CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT
  files are switched in when FS5.1 begins running.  Your
  system's original CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT are 
  temporarily saved in CONFIG.FSS and AUTOEXEC.FSS.  Under
  normal conditions you should never have to use these
  files.  If something goes wrong and the current CONFIG.SYS 
  and AUTOEXEC.BAT are not the correct files, copy these
  .FSS files back to your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT
  files.  Then restart your computer.

* Do NOT create a system startup (boot) disk if you are running 
  under the Win NT operating system.

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Scenery Add-Ons:
* Older scenery areas, such as New York, San Francisco, and 
  Paris should be installed in Flight Simulator SCENERY directory.
  For example, If Flight Simulator version 5.1 is installed in
  C:\FLTSIM5, then these scenery areas should be installed into
  the C:\FLTSIM5\SCENERY subdirectory. Running Setup for these
  scenery products installs everything correctly.  Ignore the message that
  states Disabling Scenery not Found.

* Before using the Japan, Caribbean, and Europe 1 scenery products 
  with FS5.1 CD-ROM, read the README.DOC file in the ADDONS 
  directory of the CD-ROM.

* Before running the performance booster(s) available with scenery add-ons
  released on CD-ROM prior to 5/01/95, follow these instructions. First,
  copy the booster from your FLTSIM5 directory to the cache directory of 
  the CD-ROM product.  For example, if you are running Europe 1 from the 
  CD-ROM, then copy the booster file from C:\FLTSIM5 to C:\FLTSIM5\EUROPE1.
  This will overwrite the booster file shipped with Europe1. This change
  affects Las Vegas and Europe 1 only.

* If you are seeing scenery conflicts while flying in a scenery add-on, 
  turn off the FS5.1 performance booster that corresponds to this area.
  For example, while flying in the Japan scenery area, turn off the FS5.1 
  Asia booster.

* If you want to go to an airport in your add-on scenery product that
  exists on the Flight Simulator CD-ROM as well, choose Airports from 
  the World menu, then chose the scenery area you want and choose the airport 
  you want. Make sure you choose the airport from the scenery add-on and 
  not the FS5.1 CD-ROM. For example, from the list of airports, choose 
  JAPAN - Japan Add-on (instead of Asia) to go to an airport in the Japan 
  scenery add-on.

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Scenery Library:
* Metro areas should always be the highest layer priority value (the 
  lower the layer number, the higher the priority value) in the 
  regional scenery type.  For example, if there are two regional 
  scenery areas active then the FS5 Metro area should be at the top
 of the regional areas (layer value of 1).

* Scenery areas and performance boosters must include an appropriate 
  SCENERY and TEXTURE directory under the main scenery directory.  
  For example, the JAPAN scenery directory must have a SCENERY 
  subdirectory containing the appropriate scenery files, and a TEXTURE 
  subdirectory containing the appropriate texture files.  If these directories 
  do not exist, Flight Simulator will report a DATABASE ERROR when you 
  are flying though these scenery areas.

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World Airports:
* In the CD-ROM release, a document file exists that outlines all new 
  airports, facilities, navaids, and fuel boxes unique to the FS 5.1
  CD-ROM version.  This file is called: AIRPORTS.DOC.

* The user will note the level of detail of the additional airports is not  
  100%.  For example, taxiways may not exist or there may be an absence 
  of runway extensions. Fuel boxes are available at most new airports to 
  allow for around-the-world flight.

* Some airports have associated NDBs on their ILS runways.  The 
  active NDB frequency is the closest station.  There will be a limited
  delay (hysteresis) in station switching as your closest station changes.

* Airports listed in the Airport dialog box are not necessarily grouped 
  in the booster of the same name.  If you go to a particular airport, and
  it is not there, try turning on neighboring boosters.  For example, the
  San Jose airport in Costa Rica, is listed in North America but is within 
  the South American booster.  Therefore, to go to the Costa Rican airport,
  you must have the South America booster active in the Scenery Library.



