Well, I recently got started also, like within the past month. I was going to buy the Avistar .40 ARF w/radio & engine. Got to talking to people, found out the plane was GREAT, but the engine and radio wasn't. Engine to small, and the radio only comes in 6 different freq's from the factory, means that you have a HIGH chance that another new guy will turn on his radio while you are flying, and drop your plane. So I bought the Avistar .40 Kit for $99 from tower hobbies, The OS .46 FX engine $103.95, and the Futaba 6EXA radio w/ S3004 servos $189.95. What I didn't know was you had to cut the plane, and do a few other things a little more advanced than I was. So I went to the local hobby shop, and They helped me put it together. VERY easy! I spent ruffly $400.00, and everybody says that I have the BEST trainer out there. The avistar is a VERY easy plane to land, and VERY easy to start into acrobatics with. I have only made 4 solo flights, but I have yet to crash, or hard land my plane. I sure hope that this helps!