hey i am in the same boat as you. for 350 i just bought a slightly used RTF hornet and downloaded FMS. basically i just practice using the keyboard seeing as my remote doesn't have a hook up port but it is still an invaluable resource. you should look into the RTF piccilo setup that i believe hobbytown has for sale for $300. i mean everyone including me will tell you a micro heli is not always the best to learn on but it is alot cheaper, they are alot cheaper to fix as a major crash will only cost you $30 and thats a rly rly major crash, and once you get proficient with a micro heli you can fly just about any large heli. plus the piccilo is a fixed pitch setup which allows you to use a 4ch radio