<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; border-collapse: collapse; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; ">I found out today that sims don't quite fully prepare you like a good crash and destroying a set of $50 blades does. I think I am going back to my cheap carbon fibers. Already destroyed $100 in blades practicing 3D. If you were wondering, I was practicing inverted up high and got mixed up on the throttle and it threw my game off. Obviously wasn't high enough. Funny though, I am quite proficient on the sim. Nothing beats a real life experience though.</span>

It's good for muscle memory and orientation but nothing beats burning fuel.

I use the sim to warm up before I go out with the heli. I also add wind and flight failures sometimes just to see what I can get myself out of when things happen. Just not the same though...