Before you write this off as plain paranoia, I've been flying FSX enough for
this to be true. The SP1 for FSX did improve cloud coverage a bit, fixing
the cloud bases when ceilings are reported by Jeppesen. However, when they
are not reported, but just as general cloud cover (scattered, light, broken),
it seems that there is a bias to put the base of the clouds either right at
my altitude or maybe 500 feet below me. Obviously, when flying VFR, this
poses a problem. I'm cruising at 6500 in clear skies, but then I enter an
area of scattered clouds. And sure enough, right in front of me is the base
of the clouds. They're never at, say, 10,000 feet. So to comply with VFR
FARs I descend to 4500. But 5 minutes later the clouds have come down to
4500! If I'm flying in the eastern plains I can get down to 2500, but it
won't be long before I see clouds sprouting out of the ground! Can we please
fix this?