I'm a newbie so take my advice with a grain of salt.

I bought a park flyer & flew it very well straight into the ground several times (it wasn't pretty). [:@] (no instructor, just me, myself & I)

I had a friend who bought the Real Flight simulator & he let me borrow it for a week. I spent about 4 hours a night for 5 or 6 days & got to the point where I was very proficient on the simulator with the trainer planes (mostly flew the nexstar sim)

Once I received my new Fuse for my parkflyer (damage from last flight) I took it out and had a perfect flight & more importantly landing. I was flying high. (literally & figuratively)

I then went on to purchase the Nexstar because I loved it so much in the simulator & it fly's very similar to the game. I of course am using an instructor & he has had nothing but good things to say with the way I handle the plane & my abilities as a new flyer.

So, from a newbie perspective I cannot recommend using the flight sim enough. I think the big nock that I would say against the flight sim is that it gives a false sense of confidence where some people may want to just go fly solo on their first time out which would be a very bad idea!!!

On the maiden flight of my Nexstar it was set up as perfect as I could get it, everything straight. just gun it & pull it up; right? WRONG

When the instructor took it off, it started going all over the place because a gust of wind hit it & it was badly out of trim downward. He masterfully held on to it & trimmed it out. Had I been on the control it would have most certainly not ended so well...

Hope this helps & good luck. I really like my Nexstar