I'm not disagreeing with Bose-X and all the instructors who cite problems teaching those who have used flight sims. It seems a pretty clear case of the
"Law of Primacy", but then again there may also be an element of confirmation bias - do instructors always ask their minimum hours sky gods if they've used a simulator, or only the "problem students"? Maybe the "problem students" already have bad mindset of thinking they've got nothing to learn and so brag about the simulator use, whereas those with a better mindset don't actually mention it at all? (Personally I've never understood the fascination with "minimum hours", but that's definitely veering too far off topic for me.)
As well as primacy effects, I know for a fact there's no chance that my real flying will ever eclipse in hours the time spent on various computers and numerous simulations ranging from basic games to simulators. I started with things like
Acornsoft Aviator on the BBC micro back in the early 80s. Did that teach instrument fixation - you bet, there was hardly anything to look at "out of the window"!
So using flight simulators may in some students cause a whole bunch of bad habits that are hard to train out. I don't think anyone would disagree with that would they? Bear in mind though instructors - without the enthusiasm imparted by the simulator they may not have turned up at the flight club ready to help pay your mortgage!
But back on topic (at last I hear you say!) -
even if the simulators have imparted initial bad habits to a given student, it doesn't mean that happens to all. And
even if it has, that's already happened by the time they present for a first lesson. The question in this thread is could someone already in training use it to help their learning? Whether or not they have learned bad habits from a simulator, could they use a simulator NOW to learn useful things?
Many of the answers seem to conflate use before lessons as entertainment to use during lessons. For many students - not all - they will have a changed mindset once they start to learn whereas before they were just playing, now they really want to learn.
Can they use some time on a pc, with a serious, ready-to-learn-not-play attitude, to learn checklist drills, circuit routines, speed/profile/up/down/dont-forget-carb-heat approach techniques, navigation, rudder pedal steering etc. As an addition to, not a replacement for, instructor time.
It seems to me that for those using it with right mindset, the answer is a pretty clear yes!
