It sounds like you are on the right track. You have done well in choosing to get yourself some instruction. A good instructor will get you started by showing you how to preflight your airplane and will check it thoroughly before its maiden flight. You should have an instructor test fly your airplane before you attempt to fly it yourself. A good instructor will teach you about all kinds of things about flying that you might not normally consider yourself, like what are you going to do when your engine quits after takeoff after you have passed the departure end of the runway.

Simulators are great for getting you comfortable with the control inputs necessary to control an R/C airplane. At your level, it is not that important that you have the latest and greatest flt sim out there. FMS is just fine.

Spend lots of time on your simulator flying rectangular courses, slow flight, and practicing approaches. Get very familiar with how to control an airplane as it is flying toward you. Try to fly as smoothly as is possible. Progress from easy flying aircraft to more challenging ones. The most important thing is to have a learning objective for each session you fly on the sim. Don't just go in there and "goof off".

The guys are right in telling you that there is no substitute for the real world. Sims are a little too sterile, but the truth is that they DO help. If all the sim does is teach you how an airplane responds to your control inputs, then half of your instructor's work is done already. The sim WILL NOT bring you to a level of proficiency such that you will have no challenges in flying your new bird at the field, but it WILL get you much more comfortable about putting your new baby up in the air, and there's a lot to be said for that!

Get out there and find yourself a club and an instructor, and wear out that simulator! Good luck, and keep us posted on your progress!