Yes, use a sim and go go for it, if no instructor is available, like I did. After several weeks, my trainner is still fine.
However, what people said here is true, the panic is the most commom thing to make you crash.
I got tons of adrenaline flowing and have to say, wasn't easy to deal with it[sm=stupid.gif].
The feeling is weird, is like you being inside that flying model, like your life being in risk, very weird![sm=surprised.gif]

Nilo