G2 will help you a lot. I first learned on G2. It took about 2 months (40 hours). I have a Hovering cobra. After 2 weeks with the Cobra, I could hover about 15 feet off the ground and hold it there about 20-30 seconds. The third week I took it out, the motor sputterd and I was to low to the ground to recover and ouch!. Damage was a minimal but I did not feel like repairing it due to the fact I have another one built and a a su do koi arf. I am using the Su do koi now for TR practice. The Su do koi is not as stable as the Cobra but now I am hovering longer and better with
Su do koi. My goal is to the ground by end of next month (March). I do not think about the stick movements anymore. The simulator took care of that. I think using the simulator will cut down on the learning process a lot. You will not have to think about the stick movements once you learn on the simulator and that is half the process.