RE: First plane
Well Dr, fact of the matter is the modern sim is a hugh asset as an aid and reduces the collective time needed with a mentor (instructor) of course it never eliminates the need for time with an instructor but it would be absurd to suggest its of no help and your better off just buying another airplane to destroy.
I have spent an entire career in full scale instruction and since my retirement in 94 have been instructing (mentoring) Rc students on almost a daily basis. Only just in the last year or so slowing down just a little to pursue some bucket list modeling adventures as my health fades. The advantages to anyone who has been involved to any degrees are obvious.
In addition the reason I never recommend the cheaper sims and the limited ones for entry level is the sim becomes even more important much later on as one may persue different modeling venue's long, long after the simple original airplane solo.
'Just an opinion of an older pilot who also happens to be a Certified instructor'
John
CFII-AIH