You'll be pleasantly surprised how much you learn in those harrowing ten/fifteen minutes! :D
I'm sorry Draco, I have to disagree. Or at least, disagree with your example of Vortex Ring. What's one of the warning signs that you are entering vortex ring - given that you are descending fast, with power and at a low IAS. It shakes right? How can you convey that in the simulator?
Maybe I'm just sceptical.
But so much of learning to fly is initially all about how things feels. When you come in to put down on the pad, how do you know how much power you need to get her settled before you can let it down onto the skids? Varies with the conditions. And how often are you looking at the manifold pressure gauge in the 44 when you are putting it on the pad? It's feeling. You know how much power you need because you can feel what the helicopter is doing and what you are learning is how to react to these feelings.
You moot at FSX developing bad habits. Well just because you are using DCS:R44 doesn't mean you won't be learning bad habits. No disrespect to the devs, but how do you know that what you are going to be doing in the sim is the exact equal of the real life variant? You don't unless you have that real option. And if you have that real option why are you doing something on a PC that you can do for real.
I always found that the instructor screaming at me kinda made me not want to go to the wrong side of the envelope. A bit like Pavlovs dogs... Feel the buffett hear you instructors voice telling you off...
Strayed OT but if you wanna discuss it some more PM me :)