Soupersnake: Yes please, take someone along for safety sake. As for a check list, download the Novice RC Guide in the Getting Started section of my web site www.acsmagnum.com/lsk

I don't know about harder, but RC is different from full scale. Your perspective is differnet and you don't have any instruments to indicate airspeed, vsi, etc.

I think you will find that nearly everyone that self taught had some prior experience in somthing that helped, be it RC cars, a sim, etc.

Be safe and good luck!