cjmdjm,

Welcome!

Yes, you can start with a glow plane. In fact most people do (and have done so for a long time). The engines are not difficult to deal with at all. Just follow the instructions and you'll have a fun and safe time. Expensive is a relative term, but the fuel is not really a major cost issue. My trainer has flown about 12-15 times on a gallon of fuel. A gallon costs about $12-15 dollars, so your talking about $1 a flight. In a long day, you might get as much as 5-6 flights in. It is nice that you can fuel up and fly sooner. However, its also nice to take a rest, watch other pilots fly, and chat with others.

There are a few multi-engines around, but this is something you'd likely take up after mastering a single engine.

Yes you are right. 4-channel (which implies that ailerons) is definitely the way to go. All the glow trainers I know of are 4-channel.

Take a look at trainers listed on Tower Hobbies website (www.towerhobbies.com) and by Hangar-9 (www.hangar-9.com) for excellent trainer options. Many of them (called RTF, or Ready-to-Fly) take only an hour to set up for flying and even include a 4-channel radio.

Based on lost of recent post and magazine articles, the Hobbico NexSTAR is all the rage, but there are several others that are also quite nice. Each is at a different price point.

And last, there are many posts here on RCU where individuals, such as yourself, have asked the same questions. Do some searches and see what you find.

Good luck!

MrJB