RICK, I absolutely cannot agree with you more! My sim is the best money I have spent in heli's PERIOD. I use the pheonixRC sim, It has imo, & many others opinion, the best flight physics for heli's.. It lacks some of the bells and wistles that fsOne and realflight have but hopefully they will continue to add updates and added features for download over time.
I was stuck in hover for months until I bought a sim. Every time I would attempt to go for some FF I would get nevious and/or get disoriented and everyone here knows what happens next. SMASH! So finally I gave in and bought a sim. 1-2 hours on the sim and the next time I went out to fly I was doing circuits all over the place and felt comfy not nervious. I continue to use it all of the time. It s most helpful with orientation. I dont think I would ever be attempting inverted hover or much of any of the advanced flying that I can do with out a sim. Right now I have been working on sustained inverted flight and backwards flight. The sim really really helps train your thumbs without draining your wallet. I was told by an expert flyer, and find it to be true myself, that when using a sim it is important to treat it like a real model. Stay in control at all times. Plan to fly and exact line or manuver and try to fly exactly where you planned. Dont just go crazy and spend all of your time correcting and chasing the heli all over your virtual world.

May not apply for anyone around here because I think everyone is into ff but here are a few training demo's on the sim. well explained. [link]http://www.helifreak.com/viewtopic.php?t=13459[/link]

Happy flyin' all, Noah