Although I would be willing to bet you have done exactly that both with cars and boats.

Its obvious your goal is Glow powered airplanes and thats great but that goal will cost you even more in the long run if you do the self taught routine and start with electric.

If you want to fly glow then start with glow planes. If money is an issue then lose the self taught routine.

Join the AMA, join the local club that is the least expensive way to go by the time you reach any given skill level.

Your budget of 400 is not really gonna cut it on an indivudual basis especially with new stuff and you have to acquire all your field equipment all at once. You will find that some of the very best deals on trainer packages will be from your club mates something you will never access doing the solitary bit. I put together packages all the time for new folks as well as many club mates and we encourage them to save it for new members.

Yup you would be far better off to self all preconcevied ideas about clubs and instructors and go talk to them and even meet you future mentor, I hate that instructor word since mentor is so much more descriptive of what this gentleman will be to your realization of the dream.

John