I agree with Crashem, and Fastsky.

A 9C with flight pack is about 439.99. Whereas a 6ch PCM Futaba is 249.99, and a 4ch FM Futaba w/flight pack is 129.99.

If you are just starting out go for a combo deal like an Avastar for 299.00 Plane, engine, radio.ect.. It would be a shame to purchase the 9C and barley use it for the next two years. By the time you are ready to use the 9C's advanced functions other radios will be on the market that will be cheaper and better.

It's like buying a "top of the line" laptop computer and using it to play Tetris for two years before you try doing something useful with it.