A SIMULATOR is a special software that runs on your PC and get's "steering input" from a transmitter or something that is pretty close in function. The aircraft on the screen reacts to your steering input as much as your real aircraft would do with the blessing effect that crashes happen as well but they cost no money and effort to repair.

The idea of a simulator is to react on what you see and train these reactions. At a later stage - once training shows success, you are only guessing what might happen so you are reacting very early. There are several simulator on the market and the link mentioned by AEROPAL gives you a very good idea of what is available on the market. Some simulators are already offering a dummy transmitter that works just like the real one except for the HighFrequency transmitting etc. Others use the buddy socket of your radio if there is any, others may use a joystick, mouse of keyboard for input. Whatever you do (... and your budget/wife allows) please keep in mind that your chances of actually controlling a real model aircraft using a mouse, a joystick or the keyboard is pretty small. You should go for a real transmitter or a dummy transmitter that trains the movments you will use afterwards on your flying field.

Cheers - wolfgang