Realflight isn't that much different.... Exept when you are learning 3d. RF 3Ders seem to be able to hover way to easily.... unless my planes fly like crap. 
anyways, when I learned to fly, The 72 mgh futaba transmitter would not release control to a second transmitter connected via BB, so I learned with the "pass the transmitter" techniqe. I must be a natural or something, because the only time I have truly "crashed" my trainer ( a sweet stick 40 no less) was after my solo.... an not much was broken, for it was moving pretty slow.
back on topic: while a BB is a good idea, it is not truly neccesary. your instructer should have grabbed the trannsmitter when you fist showed signs of trouble. That would have kept the plane from crashing.