I would coach and caution that retracts are a bad idea for a first or second plane. It takes educated thumbs to land any plane gently and smoothly, and retracts do not shrug off a hard landing . . . or the occasional side spin ground loop that comes after. Less a problem on a less-than-two-pound electric but still there. Not to mention the added complication and one more thing to remember to do while in the air. Looking down at the radio to locate the switch - very instinctive - can cost a model.

Get a non-scale trainer. They are designed to teach you how to fly. Even better is having an instructor teach you how to set-up a model and then how to fly it.