For someone who doesn't have any flying experience, those planes make good static display models
Some people have had success flying those inexpensive Wal-Mart models, but you really need to buy them with the expectation that they won't fly, for the challenge of trying to make them fly.
What's your budget? If you really wanted to get him into the hobby, a HobbyZone Firebird Commander is a good choice, but it costs about twice as much as the most expensive R/C plane at Wal-Mart. For less money, the Firebird Outlaw might not be a bad idea, but I don't have much experience with the Outlaw. A review in Backyard Flyer magazine seems to indicate that the Outlaw flies well, and is controllable.