Martin Hotze writes:

Well, sim-boy ... it brings YOU from one end of your monitor to the
other, nothing more. YOU HAVE NO FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE.

You don't need it to plan a route. There's nothing magic about actually
flying a real airplane.

Ever sat in a spam can and approached SoCal in VFR and tried 5
frequencies until one ansered, only to hear them call out a traffic
alert to you and your windshield is half full of an airplane in your 10
o-clock position, you staring into the sun?

No. I'm not that prone to mistakes. I've heard others do stupid things,
though.