Like anything, each has a place and the sim is great for getting the feel of the controls and if brand new to the hobby, it is an excellent aid to the orientation aspect such as when the model is flying toward then away from you. It will lift a beginner up quite a few rungs of the training ladder as we found when I taught my son to fly, but there comes a point when the real deal must take over. Fickle winds, glare, busy airspace or perhaps a slight warp in the wing etc etc will affect the flying in a way that even the most realistic of flight sims cannot replicate, but as a tool to practise with, they are very very good.