So how important is the input device, then? Did you use yoke/pedals or a joystick or the dreaded keyboard/mouse?

Donald Ramsey wrote:


I haven't used some of the more modern software, but I did
use MSFS-98 to train on procedure and situational awareness.

Having achieved my instrument rating, I feel that the most important
part of my simulated training involved commiting the scan and situational
awareness to "muscle memory". This frees up a great deal of cycles for
looking at charts, pacifying the toddler in my lap, answer questions
from my wife in the next room, etc. without interfering with my ability
to conduct an approach down to minimums.

Additionally, achieving the ability to inject the appropriate control
input to the airplane as an automatic response to what I saw on the
instruments (even on partial panel) was also easily accomplished on
neanderthal technology given enough hours spent in front of the screen.

As such, I wouldn't get too hung-up on what you use as a "simulator".
I bought some other software (which has more accurate flight models
and better lateral/vertical recording capabilities, and cost more than
MSFS) and that software really didn't augment my basic abilities. The
critical skills, in my opinion, boiled down to using the minimal amount
of cycles to control the airplane and use the remaining cycles to talk on
the radio, read charts, change the baby's diaper, etc. (yes, I did that
while configured for a stabilized approach on the sim.) Not realistic,
as I used the entire room which is substantially larger than the cockpit
of a C172.

My $0.02 ...

--Don