>hi gang, just a quick one... when i set the wind speed and direction in the user defined section it doesnt match the actual figures in flight?<

The wind you set on the compass rose on the first weather page sets wind direction and speed for the 'surface layer.' Thickness of the 'surface layer' varies but your setting will hold until you climb through 2,100 to 3,500 feet above your departure field elevation. Wind speed and direction above that will be any additional settings you've made on the wind tab. Absent any higher settings, wind speed and direction is decided, randomly it seems, by FS9.

>shift+z on screen gives me in magnetic so does that mean the user defined figures are in true?<

The reading of your setting in each compass rose in 'Weather' is magnetic.

>if so will these figures alter if i change the year in the time/date settings? ie the change in mag var for year.<

I'm using Jeppesen approach plates from 1994 ~ 1996 and a few of them show ILS final approach courses 1 to 2 degrees off what FS9 uses. Changing the date in FS9 to the same date as the approach plate has no effect on the ILS approach course in FS9. This indicates, to me, that magnetic variation in FS9 is set to - about - 2002 ~ 2004 - and date changes in 'Time & Season' don't affect it. You'll find that some magnetic headings of Victor airways on new Sectional, WAC and Low Altitude Enroute charts may also be off 1 or 2 degrees from FS9.