Dave Doe writes:

No, you *know* you're flying a simulation, and the brain *knows* that,
and you *know* you can't get into *real* trouble.

Actually, intelligent people are able to get past this. Anyone who is
completely unable to forget that he is engaging in a simulation will have a
hard time getting any utility out of simulation at all. Fortunately, like
Method actors, smart simulator users do not constantly tell themselves that
it's a simulation but instead try to pretend that it's real. When they do
this successfully the usefulness of the simulation is hugely enhanced.

One sees this problem in other domains where cognitive deficits exist. A
smart user of a video game will mentally set aside the unrealistic aspects of
the game and embrace the realistic ones, allowing for a fuller virtual
experience. A stupid user sees only what is actually there, and cannot
mentally bridge any gaps or overlook any anomalies, and so no matter how much
he plays the game, he never gets much out of it.

Additionally, like most sim folk, you've probably done things very
differently from the real world (eg. you've mentioned you've flown
heavies). Well in real life, you start off doing a PPL. You don't
progress until you've done that.

That is irrelevant for purposes of ATC. However, as it happens, I flew small
aircraft in the sim first.

for eg, picture this: you've done 6 or 7 hours on your PPL.
"Yesterday" you did your first solo. "Today" you are on your own
(taxying out and everything) and doing your second solo session, flying
in a grass circuit in a busy aerodrome that has a parallel RWY that
heavies and other traffic are using.

I wouldn't normally fly at a busy aerodrome with seven hours of experience,
especially solo. I also don't like grass runways. You don't say what type of
aircraft you have in mind, but it sounds like some sort of pokey little tin
can that I wouldn't want to fly, not even for training.

There are a couple other students (presumably) in the grass circuit with
you; you are happy that you are spacing yourself well and happy with
your touch-n-goes.

I wouldn't want to be in the grass circuit. I want pavement. I don't want to
fly with the po'folk.

Your hour's up and you advise full-stop on your downwind call. ATC
clear you "left base, number 2, 36, report sighting 73 on short final".
You read back and report traffic in sight. You fly a longer downwind
for the sealed RWY and turn base. You hear the 73 cleared to land. You
hear a call to other traffic, you're mentioned, and they are number 3
(it's another 73). Then ATC call you are ask you to keep your speed up.

I ask ATC for a precise speed restriction, and accept or refuse based on what
I consider that I can safely maintain. "Keep your speed up" is vague and means
nothing to me.

Getting nervous? You see on your base leg the #1 73's about to taxy off
the RWY, and looking to your right, you see the other 73's powerful
landing lights in the distance. Your begin your turn to final, you were
70kts on base, but being told to "hurry it up" you've pushed the nose
forward and not taken more flaps.

I fly only a Baron and a Bonanza, and neither will be at 70 knots on base. I
won't be in a position where I have to "hurry it up" because I won't accept
speed restrictions that might make the flight unsafe.

You turn to final early as you're now
fast, at 450 AGL (you feel OK about that), your AS is now nearly 90kts.
You hear ATC advising the 73 they're now #2 (to you). You're now
levelling a bit, power off, grabbing flaps, and configuring for your
approach and flare. (Did you remember carb heat? - oh well). You're
150 AGL, speed's good, full flap. What's your next move?

Ninety knots is fine. I had full flaps long ago, so I'm not grabbing them
now. I have fuel injection. I descend to the runway, flare, and touch down,
and I turn at the next available taxiway after decelerating.

You're imposing a long list of conditions that you've chosen unilaterally. I
don't accept those conditions, as I've explained above. One of the advantages
of simulation is that it's not constrained by money issues, which means that I
don't have to fly tin cans over grass runways at barely above walking speed.