FHHubber offered good advice and I'd like add/reinforce...

Sims are a great tool. If you can fly a plane on a sim, you have vastly improved your skills for flying the real thing. But the Sim and real life are different. The Sim represents an ideal world and a ideal plane. In real life we have wind, turbulence, non-perfect planes, etc. Ditto on the buddy box for at least the first couple of flights... better safe than sorry.

I'd agree the 4-star would be a good "advanced" trainer. It has some trainer qualities, but yet it can be fairly aerobatic.

As for ARF/ Radio... consider this. Pilots often change planes, add new ones to the fleet, sell off (or crash...eeek) others... but radios typically stick around. If you go the route of independently selecting a radio, I'd suggest looking at a good low to midrange computer radio, such as a 6ch-8ch radio to start. Now there is nothing wrong with using a 4ch radio to start, but many end up selling their first radio quickly as they move to more advanced planes. If you move quickly, you will bail on a low end radio quickly, maybe even in your first year. My advice, if you can afford it, get a good 6ch+ computer radio... most planes can be flown on a 6ch radio. Oh, if you have an interest in Helis too, be sure the radio has software to support both planes and helis.

Wish you luck and be safe.