RE: Good First Planes
Hi newbie420,
The ParkZone Decathlon probably wasn't the best choice for a first-time flyer. The full scale Decathlon is a very twitchy aerobatic plane, and at least some of that translates into any scale model of the plane. Even this severely dumbed-down version of the Decathlon is more than the average newbie really should be taking on as a first airplane.
Since you've got it, we may as well try, though...
No plane flies perfectly out of the box. At least, most planes don't. Planes need to be trimmed to fly straight and level. From the sounds of it, yours is in need of some down-elevator trim. There should be a little slider next to the elevator/rudder stick that slides up and down. That's the elevator trim tab. Push that ahead a few clicks and give it another try. Repeat until the plane flies level.
Better yet, have an expert pilot fly it for you and get it trimmed out. It'll probably take you a few crashes to get the plane trimmed out, and there's always the chance that you'll break something and have to start all over with the trimming process. An experienced pilot can correct for any weirdness until the plane gets to a safe height, then he can trim it out in the air until it flies straight and level.
When you launch, launch straight ahead. Not up, though a little down is helpful. These planes don't have the power to go straight up; they need to fly "on the wing" which means that need to get up some momentum before you start trying to turn or climb. Just concentrate on keeping the wings level and keeping the plane from climbing or diving too for the first few seconds.
Make sure you have plenty of room for early flights. The bigger the area, the better. Launch into the wind, or better yet, wait for the wind to die down completely.