Seems like a lot of people ask the question about idle up and G2. In the idle up mode it activates the gyros heading hold mode. It becomes easier to fly because you no longer need rudder input to keep your heading fix. It also becomes harder because your pitch and throttle curve are now set up for 3D, lots of pitch and throttle at the top and bottom (bad for new fliers and not how you will setup you first heli at all). You can't fly inverted in normal mode, well you can but not for long so I could imagine it would make you a little better at flying inverted in idle up 1 or 2.

Using that setup doesn't really equate to real life in the slightest bit. Beware if you get G2 "lite" you won't be able to do anything about it either. And who the hell practices 3D with the training gear on?? I can't believe nobody told me this when I wasted $180 at my LHS for G2 "lite". Instead of spending $80 on the upgrade I bought a crash kit and went out in the back yard and started hovering. One gallon of fuel (minus two tanks for break-in) and no crashes here. I've advanced to fast forward flight and can fly the heli with the gyro out of heading hold mode (thanks to G2 lite probably).

So, if you're willing to take advise from a beginner; GET THE SIM!!! Reflex XTR or G2 or G3, but not G2 lite and don't get the free one. Obviously you know with planes getting the cheap stuff will only result in finding out why it's cheap and buying something better resulting in more money spent in the long run.

Hours on a sim mean nothing until you find the differences between your sim model and your real model. Going from the sim to real life is learning a whole new heli all over again, but you now have some experience in controlling it. It's like studying for a BIG test. Studying HELPS, but only REDUCES your chances of failing and doesn't gaurantee a passing grade.

Follow a guide such as raptor technique's learning to fly section. You couldn't ask for more, they even have videos of what they're talking about. All I can say is once you learn how to do tail in hover go directly to nose in. Once you get the two of them down move on the the rest.

You don't need to have anything down on a sim before you buy the heli. Before you FLY you better have hovering down. A heli is only harder to fly than a plane when you don't know how to fly it. I've had plenty of planes too, and the heli controls are becoming just as natural BUT WAY MORE FUN. So get the heli and start building you'll learn stuff there as well as the sim.

P.S. After you learn the basics, don't turn down time compression or crash sensitivity and give yourself a little wind while you're at it, after all it is a simulator not a fake-u-lator.