I've taught many people to fly over the last twenty or so years and the ones that put in quality time on the sims are light years ahead of those that don't, at least in the beginning.
There are always a few guys that pick it up fast, but the sim guys always pick it up fast. I'm talking about many hours of sim time, not just one or two casual sessions. The learning curve is quicker with the sim because of the stress free "flying". Students quickly adapt to the differences between the sim and the real thing.