awesome i will check them out

FSX should run OK if you don't throw all your settings at max. The only reason I would pick FS9 over FSX is the vintage aircraft it comes with (Lockheed Vega etc). Also keep in mind that the best aircraft and scenery addons these days are FSX only.

Explore for a while, but if you want to learn how to fly in FS you should stick to 1 aircraft and area. Once you feel confident enough in that aircraft, move on to the next, etc.

Depends on what aircraft/add-on you consider best, actually. My best add-ons, iFly 737, PMDG 747-400, CaptainSim C-130, and many others are available for both FS9 and FSX. Because I fly more often over Japan than anywhere else, I'm pretty happy to say that Simmer's Sky/Overland's products are available for FS9 and some for FSX.
Don't worry, there's enough "best add-ons" for both FS9 and FSX for everyone

welcome to our world Mr_Hill you have already got some good information here so i can't really expand on that respect.I fly FSX at the moment and i have to say it is an amazing and addictive hobby the once thing i have to say though is if there is plane that you like that a lot of the 3rd party plans are better then the stock so if you like for exeapl a tiger moth go get a pay where one as apposed to a free where (there are some good free where out there)I am pushing pay where onley becaus free where can be a bit hit and miss any way welcome to our world .

An i5 2500 would work just fin for your new cpu, If you are going to overclock it than a i5 2500k,
Go to PCper.com look at the leaderboards, it will really help you out.

cheers fellas, it certainly looks awesome! i cant wait to get up in the air with you guys!!!

Okay gents, i have FS2004, a friend of mine doesnt play it anymore and gave me his, but didnt really inform me of add-ons and stuff, i know there is an "real environment xtreme" add-on which i assume i need to make it look better?

also i cant find that mesh add on, do you have a link to it? or a freeware one thanks

I suggest you look for them at flightsim.com and avsim.com. There are too many of them to list here.

okay so there isn't one massive mesh file to download? so like they are all seperate files so to speak?

If I remember correctly, I think I saw that global mesh thingy at flightsim.com. It's a huge download, though. So I never download it. I'm a jetliner guy, anyway. Can't very well see the ground up there at 36000 ft.