I second the Slow Stick.

The Wingo, Soarstar, Tipsy, and Mini Piper are all hard EPS (expanded polystyrene) foam, and while they're tough, they don't bend well under the extreme stress of a newbie learning on his/her own. Don't get me wrong, they're great planes, but you'll undoubtedly spend a bit of time epoxying them back together after a crash. For some people, this is enough to sour them on flying R/C, and in extreme cases, it's enough to inspire a lifelong vendetta against such planes. The Slow Stick doesn't have a fuselage, and the wing is made from a flexible foam material not unlike the meat trays at the local supermarket. "Bend, not break," is the philosophy. It flies slow as dirt; you literally need to set a stake to see it move, so it's ideal for someone that needs a little extra time to decide which way the plane needs to go.