You SHOULD have insurance to fly a glow plane. Look at it this way, a 40 size engine spins a 10" prop at about 10,000 to 12,000 rpm. That same engine will run for about 20 minutes on an 8 ounce tank of fuel, and fly at about 40 mph. 40 mph for 20 minutes will put the plane over 10 miles away if you lose radio contact.

That prop has been know to take off fingers, and an experienced RC pilot was killed in Texas recently when his plane hit him in the chest. (A 13 year old kid was killed in England recently too.) These things are NOT toys.

Here's a link to the AMA's website: http://www.modelaircraft.org/templates/ama/

The AMA site has a page where you can put in your Zip Code and find local clubs and contact names. An Instructor is definitely the best way to approach this if you're looking at glow power.

The other alternative is to go with an electric. The really good ones CAN cost as much or more than glow, and will be just as dangerous, but there are complete packages (including radio equipment) that fly pretty well for around $150. From all that I've read, the Aerobird Challenger is your best bet. They aren't "full house" control (4 channel), but are 3 channel and work okay.

Stay away from the Firebird series, or any Megatech electric, really bad reputations. Anything 2 channel is crap, anything costing under $125 is automatically crap. Almost anything that isn't on 72 mHZ (radio freqeuncy) is crap. (Many of the "toy" RC plane are on 27 mHZ.)

Obviously, these are MY opinions. Do as you choose.

Most of all, welcome, and have fun!
Dennis-