An R/C simulator if used as a training aid is invaluable. A SIM used as a toy or video game is just that – a toy and video game.

A large number of clubs have listed on their websites the syllabus that’s used for training a new pilot; “... fly large circles while maintaining altitude – fly figure eights while maintaining altitude – fly rectangular patterns while maintaining altitude, etc., etc. ...” Being capable of doing this on a SIM is NOT detrimental to learning to fly R/C. Being capable of doing this BEFORE actually flying a real R/C airplane would put anyone head and shoulders above others who have never flown a real R/C airplane before.

I flew a sim for probably a couple of months before heading to the flying field. Then it was close to another month before I had my plane, instructor scheduled and actually went there to fly for the first time. I soloed the first day out.

Since then, about three months now, my skills have progressed a little further. I now sometimes fail to keep my plane straight during the take-off run. I almost always point the thing straight up and climb out too steep. My flights consist more of vertical climbs, dives, knife edges, loops and rolls then straight and level flight. I’ve even been known to not line myself up with the runway during landing, even landing mid-field sometimes ... One thing that the sim taught that I still find myself still doing, is using the rudder on short final. It was the one comment that my instructor made when we were shooting touch and goes (while still hooked to the buddy box). “Good job with the rudder to correct for that crosswind.”

“Yep ...” It wasn’t long after that landing that he walked over, as I was refueling for my next flight, and said; “Do you think you can make the next flight by yourself? You really don’t need me ...”

My experience with an R/C simulator is one where no bad habits were created, my actual flying time from initial flight to solo was greatly reduced and in my opinion (and others who have complimented my flying ability) my skills are above most of those with similar experience. “I still fly the sim” as much as an hour per day ... even on those days when I can visit the field and get in some “real” flying.

Don’t buy a sim and get another airplane to crash ... or spend that money on a sim and learn NOT to crash that next airplane... … as well as learning all of those 3D maneuvers that you'd never be willing to risk your airplane trying, like rolling harriers, high alpha knife edges, walls and hovers.