OK, you will need to buy everything new. The simulator is a very good idea assuming you don't develop any bad habits that you will find hard to break when you start flying for real. Anyway, your budget will allow you to acquire very good equipment and I would start with a radio system. This is the one area in which you want to buy the best you can afford and then go a little bit better. Planes come and go as do engines, but your radio will serve you well for years if you choose well and don't scrimp. There are the big four brands, any of which are very good, Futaba, Hitec, Airtronics and JR. There are others as well but any of these will serve you well. You will probably want to go 2.4 with at least six channels. A good radio system will cost you anywhere from $200.00 to $600.00 or more if you go for more channels and more bells and whistles. I can't stress enough how important starting with a good radio system is to begin with and will save money in the long run because you won't be replacing it next year because a lesser system does not suit your purpose as you progress. The best way to choose what brand radio you will buy is to establish a relationship with people who are flying in your area (find a club and learn from them). Buy the brand radio that folks in the club are using as you will be able to share knowledge about them and buddy box with them if necessary. A computer radio is not the easiest thing in the world to figure out and being able to talk to people who have been there and done that is priceless.

Once you have a radio system, buy a trainer plane. Sig or Great Planes would be good choices because their plans and instruction books are so good. It makes building much easier than if you buy a kit from a lesser supplier whose plans and instructions are not as good. A Sig LT40 would be my first choice or a Sig Kadet would be good as well as the Great Planes PT40., not only because they fly so well but for the reasons stated previously. Your new friends from the club will be more than happy to help you with any problems you encounter with building. Again, they have been there and done that. While you are building your new plane, you will have plenty of time to decide whether you want to go nitro or electric. An electric setup will probably run you more money assuming you will buy a couple good batteries and a balance charger to support the electric plane and this stuff adds up quickly. Electrics are a bit cleaner to fly than nitro, but many of us are addicted to nitro fumes. Cleaning a nitrio plane after flying just gives you a good opportunity to look the plane over very closely for loose parts or damage you might not have noticed. Whether you go nitro or electric is entirely your choice; both have good points and bad points.

Again, a really good radio system is the most important single item you will buy and establishing relationships with the local flyers is worth more than money. For the most part, people who partake in this addiction are really good people and friendships you make with them will last for years. You will probably find in the next year or so that sitting at the field with a group of good friends and solving the world's problems is just as enjoyable as flying.