The Nexstar will be a better trainer than th SPAD. Its lighter and the slower flying will make learning easier.

The Nexstar has this nice warrantee... if you break it while learning under instruction of an AMA member... they will repair or replace it FREE! Can't beat that with a stick. So just go find an instructor and get that thing into the air!

You don't really need another TX at this time if you want to get a second plane ready to fly... but again.... its just as cheap to get the $100 full system as the $95 airborne pack... and you won't have to deal with playing musical charger to get both charged to fly. (and having 2 systems on 2 different frequencies means less chance you have to wait on someone using "your" freqency. also no playing with resetting the radio when you swap models)

FCC regs say DON'T swap crystals in your TX. Its a Law... Its commonly ignored but there really is no good reason to ignore it. (and plenty of reasons to obey it...) It was a mistake for the radio manufactures to have the crystals as easilly accessable as they are. It was a mistake for the radio manufacturers to sell the TX crystals so freely.