While with 3D sims like Realflight you CAN get depth perception with shutter glasses, etc... NOT using this is a big plus.

Lack of depth perception helps novices learn to form that "mental picture" of the location of the plane relative to the runway, and not rely upon visual cues.

While not and end unto themselves... sims DO cut down the amount of time required to learn.

I had a young student, that was so BAD that I was going to suggest he was too young for our training program.

I talked to the boy's father who ended up purchasing Realflight and using it as I told them to...

Two weeks later after playing with the sim, he had no trouble maintaining level flight patterns around the field.

I told them that thanks to the sim and training at the field, he would be a certified pilot in a month or so.

That was two training sessions ago... one more and he'll be ready...

Thanks to the sim I've had people solo and certify on their second time out. You can't beat that degree of success.