RE: pt-40 or the aircore 40 trainer?
Agree with David,
All things considered, get the PT-40 over the Aircore.
I learned on a PT-40 and flew it for a year and a half after soloing. It survived a number of crashes of varying intensity, and was always repairable. (It could have been repaired the last time, but I felt I didn't need it anymore; wish I'd fixed it.)
You ARE going to join a club and get an instructor, right?
Dennis-