I started my flying training before the age of electronic things and boy I must have been a real duffer, but what I learnt the hard way has been etched into my system.
From memory I think I went solo after about 12 hours, hovering around a training square under the watchful eye of my instructor.
But here's one for the record;-
I was priviledged to fly a 101 year old lady in an R22 as a special request by her. She was good at knowing what was happening and how the controls functioned that I handed over control and she properly controlled the helicopter nicely in straight and level flight, and in balance for quite a few minutes. This was after only about 30 minutes of flying. Therefore I think your hovering is not such a wonderful achievment as you wern't trying it honestly for the first time, having primed the system by practicing on your computer