If you want to get your PPL its worth noting that your use of the simulator might get boring. I would suggest that you find a set of nearby RL flying schools or a selection of schools on google then use whichever airfield/strip/airport they operate out of.
Next up the aircraft, again it may seem boring but use the same one you’ll learn on. You will soon be able to glance at the instruments and know which ones are important, then when you jump in the real thing it will all seem relatively familiar.
Now flying has many parts, there are 9 odd exams. Met, Law, Human, Aircraft General, Radio (comms), Navigation, Operational procedures, Flight planning & Perf and Principles of flight. As you see not much specific about flying the aircraft, much more about the act of sharing airspace safetly with other aircraft. Most of this you can start learning by buying the syllabus books.
The flying bit. I differ from some (many will object) I believe you can learn about flying in the sim - especially with VR. But what is flying??? If you ask me - a student on indefinite/undecided leave with 2 hours solo and a 2 hour navigation under my belt- its about speed - Aviate, Communicate, Navigate, you must be able to control the aircraft no good being the best map reader or radio operator if you can’t control the aircraft. You need to be at the correct speed at the correct time. To achieve this you use the tools of the aircraft - Pitch, Flaps, Throttle, all of which are in the sim. Many will say the sim does not feel like RL, I would say its 75% there, you don’t get the constant buffering and turbulence that’s affects you in RL, but you soon learn to work with that and effectively you respond automatically while ignoring it. Then people say well Aircraft X does not handle like it does IRL. To this I say I agree, but its close and lest not forget “Differences Training”. DT is when you have your PPL, your allowed to fly the Cessna 172 you trainied on, but you go and buy a Cessna 152, you now need differences training on the 152. You do not need to redo your PPL on a 152, you just need an instructor who knows both the 172 and the 152 to take you on a flight and explain the differences. You will then be assessed in flight and on the ground then you will be signed off. This will be instruments as well as handling…… Long story short, having learned to fly in the sim, you will effectively be undergoing DT with your PPL instructor. Of course I am sure you realise but its worth saying - do not even think you can fly at this point!
Last point about speeds, is you’ll find them in the online published Aircraft Manual - The Pilots Operating Handbook or POH.
The circuit, now you need to find the club that you think you’ll attends “Circuit” details and fly it. That is a published height with a published set of rules that you need to follow. The rules and heights change (Large Airport, vs Grass strip, vs Airfield that allow Parachutes, Gliders, Para Gliders etc) so google your clubs circuit and you’ll find a PDF or image showing what’s expected.
Good luck I hope it all works out for you.
