ORIGINAL: LeeL
want to lessen the risk find a good club and enlist the help from a qualified instructor
Yes there have been a lucky few that have learned on their own but they are few and far between. Why risk all the hard work and time you put in building your plane on the slim chance that you will be one of the lucky few? hedge your bet and get some help. most people involved in flying clubs will bend over backwards to make sure you learn in a safe and enjoyable way
You gotta remember that he has already said that he can't get one
Fly in the sim, make sure you fly from outside of the plane; don't fly in chase mode. When you take that plane off for the first time, just fly it. Keep it high, and as slow as you can go without stalling. When it comes to land... remember; the slower you are going, the easier any crash will be. Just don't go so slow you stall into the ground
You will do fine. Yes, you will crash, but you can recover from a crash.
Have a great flight!