I had quite a lot of flight simulator time prior to getting my PPL, and I'm sure this is true for many if not most computer literate people these days. I didn't find it held me back, in part because I followed the teaching exercises that came with flight simulator rather than just burning holes in the sky. I can appreciate that it could easily be misused though.
Since then, I've found it useful for practicing navigation - some of the VFR scenery packages are very good and as a low airtime pilot it's good to be able to get to know some of the landmarks in advance.
Some of the flight simulator adventures are very well thought out in my view.
There's one where you fly a twin for a dodgy outfit delivering apples to a ski resort. After flying for long enough to appreciate that your partner doesn't take safety very seriously (not checking notams, poor maintainence, low flying etc...) he steps out of the plane, and you're briefed to fly back to base. You have an engine failure shortly after take-off, but are goaded to continue. You 'win' by disregarding the briefing and landing at the nearest airport.
There's another where you're on a rescue mission for someone who's lost in the Rockies. The weather's lousy. The air's thin, and I have never managed to complete it without getting trapped in a valley or stalling in. Good point well made, if you approach it in the right frame of mind.
I agree it's very poor for some things. I bought an add-on Tomahawk as it was the aircraft I learned in. The flight simulator model was completely benign in the stall. I think I shall get some IMC lessons before doing any of the instrument flying exercises.
Last edited by abgd; 17th Jan 2013 at 15:06.