I learned without one and it took about 5 months, 3 months into being solo and haveing not flown for about a month i could see the effects of time not spent on da sticks. on my way home i purchased a sim. i could not beleave the difference it made one week later when i went flying again i was so much better. doing tricks i had never been able to do and haveing the time of my life. three words-use a sim.