interesting comments here.
actual pilots say that the flight sim is useless and teaches bad habits that then must be unlearnt in a real aircraft.
flight simmers say that it is of incredible value.
my suggestion is that we don't burst the flight simmer's bubble. let them think what they like. if they give up flying real aircraft because they are too difficult and go back to flying the sim that is actually a valid path for them.
makes real pilots seem like gods and gives them an out for failing.
I took my niece's boyfriend, an ardent flight simmer, out for a long flight and taught him the subtleties of turning. eventually he was flying figure eights through his prop wash.
his comment after landing "The sim is nothing like a real aeroplane".