What is a good desktop Simulaor?

angelo Campanella writes:

Pedals might do it, but its not required for IFR practice which is all
about timing and decision making. The fault is in the rudder system
which amounts to a potentiometer and a digitizer. I am content to
function without a rudder (old FS5 joystick has none), but the Wingman
joystick has more buttons which are very useful. I need to find a way to
nix the rudder control inputs.

You can do that in the configuration. You can also set autorudder so that the
sim handles the rudder for you, if you wish.

Can I choose the Garmin model?

I think you can, if you buy the RealityXP gauges separately. When the come
pre-installed with an add-on aircraft, you get whatever the aircraft modeler
has decided upon. For the Baron 58 from Dreamfleet that I like to fly, it's a
Garmin GNS 530.

Never did have any interest in twins. Twice the probability of an engine
failure (and more maintenance and more costs).

Actually the probability is slightly less than twice as high, and you can
still fly on one engine, whereas you cannot fly on zero engines. The
probability of a total engine failure (both engines) on a twin is far lower
than that of a total failure on a single. But I know there are arguments both
ways. In the sim the engines never fail unless you want them to, so it's not
an issue.

Aircraft characteristics deviations are not much of a nuisance. I am
still fighting fundamental capabilities (where are the controls and
buttons. Why is the rudder so schizophrenic? It is NEVER straight and
NEVER constant right now.

It has to be a physical problem with your controls. My rudder behaves very
well with the Saitek pedals (and before that it behaved very well with the
twist axis on my joystick), so it's not the sim.