I'd like to add that a flight sim is very helpful learning tool. You can make mistakes and it doesn't cost you a plane. In the spring I joined a club, and started with an instructor using a buddy box, about the first words out of his mouth were a question, "Have you been using a sim?" (me) "Yup, all winter" (him) "It shows!" And I still have my trainer plane in one piece for it's second flying season.

I learned a lot on the simulator, but I learned even more with the instructor. I'd highly recommend this path of learning to anyone. The advantage of a sim also is, in the dead of winter I can keep my thumbs in shape.