Soon to be CFI (mid Oct, fingers crossed)! One of the biggest barriers to entry for many an aspiring aviator is cost...period, full stop. I know the direct cost saving benefits of sims from my own flight training. Like you, @cwburnett, I'm guessing my savings have been in the thousands of dollars as well. Not everything was beneficial however. Now that I am learning how to teach, I see some of the "sim pitfalls" that I brought in my own training. The old notion that a sim is only good for procedural training limits the true learning potential that a sim can bring. Certainly stick and rudder skills will be developed in the airplane. But with a little guidance, there are so many concepts that can be demonstrated and explored in a sim even at the primary level regardless of whether you can log time or not. I know I'm going to work to make sure that my future students take advantage of that. And as far as the choice of sim, I agree with most of what was in the video. I agree that as MSFS matures the current deficiencies will be less of a barrier.

1 hour ago, abrams_tank said:

Are you officially allowed to use MSFS 2020 as a training tool for student pilots?  Or is this "unofficial" and the instructor is allowed to use whatever tools he/she deems will be useful for the student?

Also as a CFI as well, I think anything is fair game if the student can gain some benefit from it. When teaching IFR, before going near a sim or the aircraft, I pull out the iPad app "Navaid Trainer" and spent an hour or so with them for NDB/VOR orientation and tracking. Not approved as a training device, but one of the best intros to instrument training. Saves them money and reduces wasted time in sim or aircraft.

In my honest opinion no sim should be anywhere a student pilot until he gets his/her private pilot license. After that they will appreciate it more. For instrument training P3D v4.5 is the better option. But, what the heck do I know? 😀

I found the video informative & entertaining, yet misleading.