Yes, a simulator is a good thing to have and practice on, but the problem is for beginners is they will teach themselves bad habits if they weren't shown how to properly move the sticks.

Beginners spent many hours practicing on a sim, but when they came to me for training, they tended to flip and bang the sticks around, because they didn't know any better. I had to help them unlearn all these bad habits they taught themselves. It was much easier to teach someone who had never had a lesson on a buddy-box or simulator.

fliers1