Force feedback versus real piloting?

es330td wrote:

My CFI said the same thing. I "played" MSFS with an eye toward IRL
flying for about 2 years before sitting left seat the first time. We
did a 30 mile cross country during my second lesson and he said that I
held course and altitude better than some people he knows who have
been flying for 20 years.

I got complemented on my first lesson, too. After that, the CFI spent
the next 15 lessons getting me to look outside the airplane. G

Why would you do a 30 mile cross country on the second lesson? That's
kind of strange.